We Are Not Separate
by DreamingDangerous
Summary: Following the events of the season 5 finale and some of the season 6 premiere: Regina struggles with feeling incomplete; Emma begins to collapse under the weight of her title. A familiar enemy threatens to turn their world upside down and expose every secret they're trying so hard to keep. "Nothing more dangerous than an untold story, and the people who don't want them told."
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Hi everyone! This is my first fanfiction in about 8 years, as I've been battling writer's block and it has kicked my butt until now. I'm a little rusty but I hope you all enjoy this story as much as I'm enjoying writing it. I will probably post a chapter a day, if not two, until it's complete. This is a Swan Queen story, so if that isn't your thing, turn back now. Enjoy!_

Regina felt….empty.

She remembered the look on the Queen's face when she ripped her heart out, the betrayal and horror she saw there. And yet, she'd crushed her heart anyway. She had been tired of feeling the rage, the gnawing desire to set the world ablaze for the people the universe kept taking from her. She couldn't be that person anymore, not if she wanted to keep Henry, and her new family, by her side. She'd made a very simple decision, and she should have been happy about it.

She wasn't.

She was…lacking. She felt the lack of anger, of course, but she also felt the lack of care, the lack of passion, the lack of _everything_ that made her who she was.

 _It will go away,_ she assured herself. _It's just new. The new me. I'm free._

The problem was, she didn't believe it. She felt more trapped than ever. And she couldn't do anything about it, because her counterpart was dead by her hand.

At the moment, there was a more pressing problem than the removal of her evil self: Hyde.

Hyde, who had somehow gotten his hands on the keys to Storybrooke, thanks to some _deal_ with Rumplestiltskin, and was supposedly bringing "friends" from the Land of Untold Stories to let their endings play out, probably with a twist where the villains would win with Hyde's help. It would be the Queens of Darkness all over again, only with more villains to deal with.

The strange thing was, they hadn't seen nor heard from Hyde, not since giving his threatening message in front of the clock tower. His "friends" had yet to show, and nothing menacing was happening. The majority of the town decided to try to go back to normal, whatever _normal_ was, and seemed to be completely disregarding the new threat, choosing to deal with it when it came rather than take preventative measures.

 _Idiots._

Emma and the one-handed wonder had gone home, to Emma's house, alone. The knowledge of that sickened Regina to her core. She wasn't _jealous,_ oh no, she was disgusted by how quickly Hook had wormed his way into their family, _her_ family, without any true attempt at redemption. They accepted his _smiles_ and his _sweet talk_ and hailed him as a hero, without needing much proof of him being such. He was a villain, still, and they accepted him like they'd never accepted her. Emma _loved_ him, the bad and whatever good she saw. Regina had been tempted, many times, to share the story of his involvement in her torture, his involvement in the events that had led to Henry being kidnapped to Neverland. She wondered what they'd think of him then. But, time and time again she chose to keep it to herself, locked away, because there was a good chance she'd just hear the trademark "But he's _changed"_ and all would be ignored and instantly forgiven, like they'd never truly forgiven her with her evil self still attached.

Even now, they all seemed to walk on eggshells around her, like she was fragile, like she was _less_ , and she couldn't even find it in herself to be angry about it.

Zelena and the Charmings had retrieved their babies from the fairies, and Zelena had moved back into the farmhouse in the woods. When Regina had offered for Zelena to stay at the manor, Zelena had declined. "It's nothing personal, Sis," she'd said, "I like my privacy, and I need to focus on myself and Robin and our happiness out of the eyes of your prying, judgmental citizens. But feel free to visit us anytime!" The name of Zelena's daughter still made Regina cringe internally, but she accepted the homage paid to her dead soul mate anyway. _Dead soul mate._ The words should bring more than a feeling of loneliness, more than a feeling that she got screwed over by fate once more. Shouldn't she miss _him_ more than the idea of him? She was glad Zelena had declined her offer, but she didn't want to think about the reasons why she was glad.

So Regina and Henry returned to the manor. Regina made an early lasagna dinner in an attempt to keep herself busy and bring comfort to Henry, who seemed to be on edge.

"Mom?" he asked quietly when they sat down to eat. "Are you sure you're okay?" Regina's brows raised. Her sweet, intuitive son, always so observant and caring. And when had he _grown?_

"I'm fine, Henry. Like I said, I feel free. The only thing that's bothering me is how no one seems to be worried about Hyde and the impending arrival of his 'friends'." Henry nodded, satisfied with that answer. "Well, Mom," he said, "Whatever does happen, I'm sure we can stop it. Or maybe even help whoever comes. They've been stuck in the Land of Untold Stories, kind of frozen like we were before Ma came. Maybe it'll be a good thing?"

Her son, the eternal optimist.

"Maybe so, Henry."

They ate in silence for awhile longer, the silence still deafening, before Henry said, "This is awesome as always. Ma's missing out."

Emma. That's what was missing here. Emma would wolf down the food like she'd never eaten before, go on and on about how amazing Regina's cooking was and how bad she was going to beat Henry at whatever video game they happened to be playing together at the time. Emma always said it was more fun to play at the manor because Regina owned a bigger, better TV than she did. Dinner would be followed by video games, loud shouts, and when Henry went to bed she and Emma would indulge in a nightcap and small talk.

Instead, Emma was a few blocks over, probably locked in the arms of her precious Guyliner.

Again, not jealous. Just disgusted. Regina hoped she wouldn't get a call that Emma had been _impaled_ by that stupid hook hand _._

"Mom?"

Regina, pulled from her thoughts, looked at Henry to see him watching her closely. "Do you want to call Emma and tell her we have leftovers? I doubt she'll be cooking for Hook. They'll probably order from Granny's otherwise."

Regina thought again about _why_ Emma wouldn't be cooking for Hook, and said "I'm sure they're doing a lot of talking and don't want to be bothered, Henry. Maybe another time."

Why was Henry looking at her so _strangely_? He opened his mouth to speak again, but whatever he was going to say was lost in the sudden rumble that shook the manor. Both he and Regina sprang up out of their chairs, watching the chandelier above them rattle and a few pictures and paintings fall from the walls. Together they abandoned their dinner and ran outside, where they saw more townspeople gathered and looking upwards. Following suit, Regina saw a….

Blimp?

What on Earth?

Half the town was now gathered in a clearing outside of town, watching the blimp fly overhead. Regina noted with satisfaction that Hook and Emma had appeared far to quickly for them to have gotten too far into their _alone time._

"What the hell is that?" David questioned. Jekyll, appearing behind him, answered, "It's a dirigible. From the Land of Untold Stories."

"What's it doing in our town?" Snow, ever oblivious, asked.

"I believe you mean _my_ town." And there he was. Hyde stepped into view, a smirk on his face. Regina scowled, and noticed her family square up, prepared for a fight, around her. Snow stepped forward, exclaiming, "This is _not_ your town!"

"Oh, tell that to the Dark One. He _gave_ it to me." Hyde gloated. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must prepare for my friends' arrival." He began to walk away. Emma sidled up to Regina, her face strained and determined. "Regina" she whispered. She was close, too close, and her eyes were too trusting. Regina began to panic. She knew what Emma was getting at, and she didn't even feel _whole_ , let alone able to pull up enough emotion to blast Hyde to smithereens. "Emma," she whispered back, exasperated, "My evil half is gone, I don't know how strong I am." Emma cast her a sideways glance and said, "The evil did not make you strong, let's do this."

Regina was stunned momentarily. Emma. _Emma,_ strong and determined and displaying so much _faith_ in her despite everything….Regina shook off her daze and readied herself. "Hey! Mutton Chops!" Emma cried. As Hyde turned, the magic began to flow from their hands and toward Hyde. For a moment, when the magic connected, Hyde seemed affected. After a moment, he straightened, laughed, and dodged the attack. Regina and Emma let their magic die down, staring incredulously. Their magic together had worked on a damn _hell beast_ before, why not Hyde?

Laughing, Hyde warned, "Be careful. Nothing more dangerous than an untold story, and the people who don't want them told."

At his words, the dirigible lost power and dropped into the forest. When they turned back, Hyde was gone. As the Charmings and Hook took off for the forest, Regina stood, again feeling dazed.

… _Nothing more dangerous than an untold story, and the people who don't want them told._ Why did that sentence terrify her so? Why did it feel personal?

At Henry's insistent tugging, Regina followed her family.

The site of the crash revealed that whoever had been on the dirigible had disappeared into the woods quickly. There wasn't a single person or creature to be found. Jekyll gave some cryptic warning about chaos being created by letting their stories play out, and then finally gave them a piece of useful information by saying that, with debris from the wreckage, he could create a device that could subdue Hyde like the orderly's baton had back in the Land of Untold Stories. Together they all started collecting whatever they could to help Jekyll with his task. The clang of metal on metal from a careless toss by David made Regina start, her nerves frayed and on edge. She glanced over at Emma, who was crouched down and shaking. Walking over to her, she crouched down as well and laid a hand on Emma's arm. "Emma?" she whispered. Emma shook her head and at Regina's touch, her tremors stopped. "I'm fine," she said quietly, standing up and walking away. Confused and concerned, Regina didn't follow. Emma was obviously as frazzled as she was. Maybe space was what she needed. Or, _Hook._ But she noticed that Emma didn't walk towards her _love,_ she walked further away from the group to continue salvaging. A conversation for another time, maybe.

Finally, Jekyll informed them that he had what he needed to create the baton and restraints for Hyde, and they all silently returned to the Charming loft for him to begin his work. Snow dismissed the Blue Fairy (as she'd been asked to keep an eye on Neal, _again_ ), and when she left Regina took a seat between Henry and Emma on the couch, and Hook (with a disdainful look at Regina) perched on the arm of the couch next to Emma. David took seat in the chair and they all sat in silence as the frightened, small man began his work confidently, and Snow prepared tea for her guests to keep herself busy. Regina smirked to herself. Snow was so _motherly_ for someone who hadn't spent much time being a mother.

Leaning over slightly, Regina whispered, "Emma, what happened out there? You don't look well." And she didn't. Emma looked strained, tired, distracted, and hadn't spoken to anyone since Regina noticed her shaking spell in the woods. Emma seemed to be annoyed by Regina's close proximity and shifted away slightly. "I don't want to talk about it, Regina," she whispered waspishly. Since shifting away from Regina put her closer to Hook, he smirked in triumph at Regina and slung his arm around Emma's shoulder. Regina noticed that Emma looked sicker, but didn't move. Regina glared at Hook. _You didn't even notice her in the forest, you have no idea what's wrong with her and you don't care, you pompous-_

Her accusing thoughts were interrupted by Snow pushing a warm mug of tea into her hands. Snow gave her a _look_ , but why, Regina didn't know, and handed the next mug in her hands to Emma before walking away to pour tea into more mugs.

Finally, unable to stand the silence (and Emma's avoidance), Regina snapped out "Are we just going to sit here until he's finished tinkering and fly by the seat of our pants or are we going to come up with a plan?"

At the icebreaker, everyone began theorizing and planning animatedly. Regina scowled. Why the silence? Why was everything and everyone so _weird_ right now?

By the time Jekyll was finished with his contraptions, they had a set plan: Regina would lure Hyde out of the Town Hall (where the townspeople had seen him disappear into) with Jekyll, then get him talking while Emma snuck up and blasted his ass. Then they'd slap the restraints on his wrist and lock him away under the hospital. They all finished their tea (like it was the most important thing?) and prepared for battle.

The plan was executed flawlessly. They had Hyde in his special handcuffs and a psych ward cell an hour later, just as the sun was setting. Judging by the fury in his eyes and tone, Hyde's plan had been well and thoroughly foiled. However, as Jekyll and David escorted him by Regina, he leaned over and whispered, "At least _one_ dangerous person will see their story played out."

What in the hell did _that_ mean?

Snow and David took it upon themselves to track down the newcomers in the forest with safe assurances and promises of assistance. Regina, Emma, Hook, and Henry gathered up as many blankets, clothes, and toiletries as they could and made their way to the diner to prepare for their new "guests".

Henry addressed his moms and Hook, "I think the smart thing to do would be to take down a name registry of everyone. Each story has a villain, and I think the villains of these stories were who Hyde was calling 'friends'. They won't know that we know their stories. Maybe if we get the villains out of the way, either contain them or send them back somehow, the stories can play out the way they're supposed to, and all these people can move on with their lives."

It sounded like a good plan to Regina, but deep down she knew that none of their plans ever turned out right the first time. Exchanging a look with Emma, she knew that she wasn't the only one with that sentiment.

Unbeknownst to Regina and the rest of the town, Rumplestiltskin had made his way to the town line under cover of darkness with a certain scroll in hand. Stopping just short of the line (just to be safe; after all, there was no telling if Regina's magic was _as good_ as before), he stared at the figure on the other side. Her teeth were shining in the night, in a million-watt smile of victory on her perfectly made-up face. They sized each other up for a moment before she raised a perfectly manicured hand in expectation, jewels glinting. Scoffing, Rumple said, "We made a deal."

She smiled impossibly bigger and removed a pouch from her side. Holding it up tauntingly, she purred, "You first, dear."

He glared at her a moment longer before tossing the scroll over the line. She caught it in midair, laughing. "Good man," she said in delight. The border rippled as she stepped through it, and she tossed the pouch at Rumple as she breezed by him. "That should be all you need, correct? Now stay out of my way," she warned darkly before continuing down the dark road. "What are you going to do?" Rumplestiltskin asked warily, almost like he cared.

The Queen spared a glance over her shoulder, her face displaying a faux pitying look. "Nothing that will concern you, Dark One. Regina is the one that needs to worry. She will be sorry she ever split us apart."


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Okay, so I just realized that the scene breaks thing is still an issue, so I'll be remedying that from now on. Sorry if the last chapter was hard to follow. As soon as I get into AO3 I'll be posting this here as well. There's about a week wait for me to get in, so here's to dealing with this for now. Here's chapter two!_

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Regina collapsed into bed, exhausted after the long night of providing food, clothing and shelter to the dozens of refugees from the Land of Untold Stories. Henry had taken down so many names-some familiar, some not-and Regina could see that plans were already forming in his mind as he said goodnight and made his way to his bedroom. Sleep would come to him easily after this hectic day. Regina, not so much.

Her bed was cold. Robin's body wasn't there to hold her, to warm her up, to provide comfort to her. The smell of pine needles, leather, and _man_ no longer lingered in her sheets. He was dead. Dead and gone, like her evil counterpart. So many parts of her, missing, lost, and impossible to get back.

In a way, she felt relief that she felt so empty. The loss of rage meant no one was in danger, especially the people she blamed for her soul mate's death. The loss of the _evil_ meant she was free to be nothing but _good._ The loss of her soul mate meant that she was free to make her own choices. She grimaced, ashamed of that last thought. Yes, fate had dictated who she was supposed to spend her life with, but Robin hadn't been a _burden._ Not like Leopold had been. Robin had made her feel wanted, loved and accepted.

 _Because he'd never seen all of me._

That horrible thought crept up out of nowhere, bringing tears to her eyes and choking her with guilt. Robin was dead, because of her choice to follow Emma to Hell. Robin was dead because of others' choices as well. Robin had been nothing but supportive of everyone, always there to lend a hand and partake in the heroics, and here she was feeling sorry for herself, doubting his love for her because of her past. It made sense, really. No one could ever fully love every aspect of her, not knowing the full story. It wasn't like she and Robin had ever really _talked_ , no, their relationship had been more physical with hints of drama that soap operas would envy, thanks to Zelena.

Zelena, who had ruined her life with him in more than one way, and had carried the child she'd never be able to.

This was the thing that Regina hated most of all: the feeling of weakness beyond anything she'd ever known. The Evil Queen had been strong, determined, unafraid. Regina felt like she was none of those things anymore. Her magic, even combined with Emma's, hadn't been enough to subdue Hyde. Her traitor of a brain was giving her so many mixed thoughts that she didn't know what her true feelings were. Groaning, she punched her pillow and closed her eyes. Sleep had to come or she would never be able to deal with tomorrow.

Eventually, her tumultuous thoughts subsided into fitful sleep.

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"Regiiiina."

Regina cracked her eyes open. It was dark, except for the glow of her bedside lamp. _Strange,_ she thought, _I don't remember leaving that on._ She rolled over and looked around her room. She felt heavy, drugged, overcome with exhaustion and couldn't focus her eyes at all.

"Regina. Over here, dear."

Regina finally focused her eyes on a shadowed figure by her window.

She had to still be dreaming. This couldn't be real. There, outlined by the glow of the moon and illuminated slightly in the soft glow of the lamp, stood the tall, regal, extravagantly-dressed Evil Queen. Regina tried to shake off her grogginess but instead felt it grow. She couldn't move her body; everything was so heavy.

"Hello, beautiful," the Queen crooned. "Don't get up on my account. You won't be able to anyway, so don't even try."

Regina had known this was coming. Dreams of the surreal moment when she'd seen herself, face to face, and ripped out her own heart….dreams of the guilt. "Why are you here?" she croaked. "I killed you."

The Queen laughed, low and throaty. "My dear Regina," she purred, moving forward to sit elegantly on the edge of the bed, "We are not separate. You cannot kill me without killing yourself, and I cannot exist without you. We are one, we have always been one, and one day you'll see that. But not yet. It will take a lot of…. _convincing_ on my part for you to realize what a mistake you've made. You don't even realize how pathetic you've become. You will. You will and your realization will come in the most unexpected of ways. I know your mind, Regina. I am you. I have every memory, every desire, every ounce of anger you've ever felt for the way the world and the people you now call 'family' have wronged you. I will make you see."

Regina could barely focus on the Queen's words. Why were her eyes so heavy? Was this sleep paralysis? She didn't feel panicked, she just felt so very, very tired…

Vaguely, she registered the Queen chuckling softly. "But you won't remember this, darling. I've ensured it. I just…. _needed_ to see you. Needed to see your weakness, this shell of the woman you once were. You're nothing without me, Regina. Nothing. But sleep now, you'll need your rest for what's coming next."

Regina's eyes closed and she felt the brush of lips on her own. Her _own_ lips on hers. Soft and dry and cold. "Oh, the fun we'll have," she heard, warm breath tickling her ear, before she fell back into a complete, heavy sleep.

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Red. Regina saw red through her closed eyelids and knew it was morning, maybe even late morning, and the sun was shining brightly. She screwed her eyes closed tighter to rid them of the color. She just wanted to go back to sleep.

"MOOOM!"

Regina's eyes shot open at the sound of Henry's voice, and winced at the brightness she saw when she did. It was definitely late morning. Her son was yelling her name, and in her experience that was hardly ever a good thing. She threw the covers off and stood, groaning at the aches and pains of sheer exhaustion in her body. _Why_ was she still so tired?

Quickly despite her body's protest, she made her way out of the room and padded down the stairs and into the kitchen where she saw…..Henry and Emma, with an assortment of breakfast food on her counters. Putting her hand over her heart to calm her rapidly beating heart, she exclaimed, "Henry! You scared me to death!"

Henry gave a guilty, crooked smile, and said, "Emma got here a couple of hours ago, Mom. It's almost eleven in the morning!"

Emma turned to make a plate up for Regina, and she quietly said, "It's Sunday. Our day to have breakfast together, right? When Henry answered the door and told me you were still sleeping, I figured you must have been exhausted. I mean, you've been through a lot, and it's expected. So we let you sleep and may or may not have destroyed your kitchen in the process of attempting to make breakfast for us all."

Regina glanced around, noting the dirty pots and pans on her stove, the mess of flour that had somehow made its way all over her sink and on the floor, some pancake mix still dripping from the bowl by the sink. "May have," she said dazedly. Normally the mess would have annoyed her; but today she just felt….cared for. "It's okay, Emma. Thank you."

Emma glanced at Regina with a shy smile and then quickly looked away to pick up some bacon to put on the plate. Was that a blush Regina saw on her face?

"Mom," whispered Henry, coming up beside her, "I'm sorry I yelled for you instead of coming to wake you, but now that you know we're not dying…do you want to go put on a robe, or something?"

Regina glanced down at herself in renewed panic. she'd been so worried about getting to Henry she hadn't bothered to throw on a robe or dress herself with magic.. She was dressed in a tiny white silk shirt and shorts, and she could clearly see the outline of her nipples through the fabric, standing at attention in the cool air of the manor. Feeling her cheeks heat up and understanding why Emma had been avoiding looking at her, she stuttered, "Y-yes. I'll go, I'll go do that, Henry. I'll be right back to join you both for breakfast when I'm more….presentable."

Quickly exiting the kitchen and making her way back to her room, Regina pressed her hands to her face to cool the burning she felt there. She didn't understand why she was embarrassed; she was in her own home, and her body had never been something she felt ashamed of. She told herself it was because she'd embarrassed Henry in her state of undress and had made Emma uncomfortable, for whatever reason. _I mean, she's a woman. It's nothing she hasn't seen before,_ she justified it to herself, still feeling unsure. _After all, I saw Emma in her underwear the second day I knew her._

Chuckling fondly at that awkward memory of her first power play toward Emma Swan, she felt the burning in her cheeks lessen. She dressed herself in a smart pantsuit and brushed out her hair quickly, using just a _tad_ bit of magic to rid herself of bed head. She also may have used magic to quickly apply a fresh coat of makeup to hide the bags under her eyes. She was still so tired. Shrugging off the remaining grogginess, she made her way back downstairs to find Emma and Henry sitting at the dining room table, waiting on her to join them before digging into their food. Regina sat down and appraised her plate. Apple pancakes, egg whites, a slice of bacon, a link of sausage, and orange juice…in a wine glass?

"Miss Swan, is this a mimosa?" She questioned lightly, picking up the glass and bringing it to her lips. She moaned happily when the bubbly drink hit her taste buds. Emma was chuckling through a mouthful of scrambled eggs- _she still eats like a child-_ and said, "Yep! I think by now I know your breakfast preferences, Madam Mayor." Her cheeks were still tinged pink, Regina noticed. She looked better than she had yesterday, that much was certain. Regina placed her glass back on the table and said, "Thank you, Emma."

Emma swallowed her gigantic bite of food before replying. "You're welcome. You've been teaching me to cook for weeks now, it was about time I tested my new skills."

Regina chuckled. Henry, who had been silent due to shoveling his food into his mouth, suddenly piped up, "Hey! Mom, don't let her fool you. She made the bacon, scrambled eggs and the mimosa. The hard part was mine." Regina raised an eyebrow at this and gave Emma a reproachful eye. Emma's eyes were wide and she sputtered at Henry, "You…you _tratior!_ You said you'd give me the credit!"

"Yeah, until you gloated about having _skills!_ "

Regina began to eat, watching her son and his other mother banter back and forth with a smile on her face and a warmth in her chest she hadn't felt in days. This felt normal, this felt right. This could almost make her forget about Hyde, about the refugees from the Land of Untold Stories, about splitting herself in half and destroying her counterpart…this was why she'd done it; to have this normalcy, this warmth. "Thank you as well, Henry," she said quietly when the two had stuck their tongues out at each other and gone back to stuffing their faces, "This is all very delicious, and a very welcome treat." Henry beamed happily at her. When Regina looked away from him, she found herself looking into the radiant green eyes of Emma Swan, staring at her intensely. _She really does look better today,_ she found herself thinking. "Why are you staring, Emma?" she asked, going for nonchalance but feeling uncomfortable under the scrutiny. Emma pointed her fork in Regina's direction and accused, "You use magic to look that good. I always knew your hair and makeup weren't naturally that perfect!"

Regina's jaw dropped. "I"ll have you know, _Emma,_ that I did my own hair and makeup for twenty-eight years. As you recall, I had no magic at the time. I just…use it now, a little, to achieve the results faster."

Emma gave her a grin and rolled her eyes.

Yes, this was normal. This was right.

After breakfast, the trio cleaned up the mess in record time and then stood in silence, looking at each other. Now that breakfast was over, the illusion of peace needed to be shattered. They needed to discuss the new threat and the events that had happened yesterday. Emma no longer looked vibrant and happy, she looked wary and uncomfortable, and Regina remembered the tremors and waspish behavior she'd displayed yesterday. "Henry," Regina said suddenly, "Why don't you go take a shower and then bring your notebook full of names and plans to review?"

Henry, looking back and forth at his mothers, took the hint and did as he was told. When they were alone, Regina gestured to the living room and led the way. She took a seat on a chair, and Emma flopped down on the couch opposite her. There was silence only for a moment before Regina asked, "Where's your pirate this morning?"

 _Did Emma's face darken at the mention of her lover?_

Emma's face shuttered into a blank look before she replied, "I'm not sure, honestly. He left the diner last night before I did. Said he needed a nightcap on the _Jolly Roger_ and I was welcome to join him when I was done. I didn't feel like one, so I just went home and went to bed. When I woke up, I came straight here. Habit, I guess." She gave a crooked smile, and it didn't quite meet her eyes.

They hadn't gone home together. Regina let out a breath she didn't even know she'd been holding. "I see," she said lamely. "Now, to the real question: do you want to tell me what happened yesterday, in the woods?"

Emma's face closed off completely and she looked down at the floor. "It was nothing, Regina. Really. The noise just startled me, I guess. Too much caffeine and stress, not enough down time." She forced out a laugh, trying to make light of it all. Regina wasn't buying it.

"For someone with your superpower, Emma, you're a very bad liar."

Emma's laugh died off and she glared at Regina, her total demeanor changing in an instant. "I said it was nothing, Regina, and I'm not lying. Quit pressing the issue. The real issue is, how are you handling your decision and everything that happened prior?"

The sudden change in direction of the conversation left Regina a bit stunned. "I'm…I'm fine," she said, a bit loudly, and smiled. "I didn't mean to press on. It just…worried me yesterday. Tremors are something I've never seen from you." She deflected Emma's question and turned the conversation right back around, and Emma caught it immediately. "You're different, Regina," she observed, staring at her again. "I guess I just want to know if you're still feeling okay about…about what you did."

Regina maintained a stoic expression and said, "As I said before, I'm perfectly all right. As I told Henry, I feel… _free._ "

Emma saw the lie, Regina knew she did. Henry hadn't, but Emma was a different story. She knew something was wrong. And now that she knew, she was going to press. Regina braced herself for Emma's next words, feeling the tension in the room grow.

"Regina…I need…."

But her words were interrupted as Henry bounded back down the stairs, hair still wet and notebook in hand. He took a seat next to Emma on the couch, excited to share his knowledge of who was now in their town and his plan for them all to get to play out their stories. As he spoke, brown eyes met green and Regina knew their conversation was far from over, but for now it would wait and their wariness would grow.

 _Why was it so hard to communicate with her, even after all these years?_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: I'm on a roll today, guys! This chapter switches from Regina's POV to Emma's. Please be kind, I don't connect with Emma and she's extremely hard for me to write. If I don't have her down, let me know and what I can do to make it better. She's going through some stuff, so I have to get her through it to move her forward. This chapter contains quite a bit of internal monologue and a bit of Hook being, well, Hook. We'll move on to the good stuff soon, I promise. Reviews are like crack, please drop one if you can! Cheers!_

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Emma sat and listened to Henry list the names of all the newcomers:

Aladdin.

Mowgli.

The Three Musketeers.

Quasimodo.

Emma's vision started to blur, her heart quickened and blood rushed to her ears, drowning out the rest of Henry's words. More fairy tale creatures that needed help. More people that needed to find their happy endings. More villains to fight. Would it ever end?"

"Emma." Emma looked up to see Regina and Henry staring at her with concerned faces. Emma glanced down to see her hands trembling. _Damn it._ She stood up and shook herself, barking out a false laugh. "I really need to lay off the coffee. Hey, kid, why don't you keep going through the list with your mom? I think I need to jog off this energy." She bent down and kissed Henry on the head and despite his attempts at protesting, bolted for the front door. She was about to pull the door closed behind her when a hand tugged her back inside and slammed the door shut.

In the blink of an eye, Emma found herself pressed against the wall, staring into the face of a very concerned Regina Mills. "What the _hell-"_

"Shut it," Regina hissed, her hands on Emma's shoulders and nails digging into her skin through her clothes. She was too close, Emma could smell the sweetness of the mimosa still on her breath…

"Let me _go,_ Regina," Emma whispered harshly, determined not to let Henry hear what was going on as she struggled to get away. Regina's eyes flashed and she stepped closer, making it impossible for Emma to move. "No," she said firmly. "Something is wrong, Emma. Your son is trying to include you in his discoveries and plans and you're shaking and running off? Don't block me out! _Talk_ to me!"

Warmth was spreading through Emma rapidly, and she told herself it was anger. Regina was _too close,_ they never stood this close to each other, it just wasn't something they _did…_ and how dare Regina trap her like this?

In a panic, Emma did the only thing she could do: she poofed away in a cloud of white. Away from Regina and the press of her body, away from the concern in her eyes, and back to her own large, empty house. She hated this house. It was bare, it was filled with bad memories, and it just wasn't _home,_ but it was still hers.

Sitting down at her kitchen table, Emma stared at her shaking hands, breathing heavily. _What the hell is happening to me?_ she thought, clasping her hands together in an attempt to stop the tremors.

Why did breakfast have to end? It had been so perfect, so therapeutic. For just a short time, she was able to pretend that everything was normal, everything was fine, and Regina just _had_ to break that peace…stupid Regina, with her stupid silk pajamas and her stupid gratitude and her stupid beautiful face (that Emma was _totally_ sure she'd used magic on to hide the shadows that had been under her eyes before breakfast) and her stupid powers of observance…..

"Swan!" She heard, the sound of Killian's voice startling her. She hadn't known he was in her house, but there he was, strolling into the kitchen with a grin on his face. "I've been looking for you all morning, and your cell phone kept going to that voicemail thing."

Emma stood up from the table and put her hands behind her back, still clasping them tightly together. "Hey!" she greeted him breathlessly, pasting a grin on her face. "I'm sorry, Killian. I forgot to charge it last night and left it on my nightstand. I've been at Regina's. Sunday breakfast, you know." Killian's smile became strained, but he nodded in remembrance. "Ah, that's right. And how's our dear former queen today?" She heard the sarcasm in his voice but chose to ignore it as she replied, "She's fine. She and Henry are going through the list of names from the Land of Untold Stories. I opted to come find you since I didn't make it for a nightcap last night." The lie came easily, and Killian's smile relaxed as he gathered her into his arms. The smell of leather and sea and sweat engulfed her, suffocating her. The memory of a softer body, gentler eyes, and the smell of orange juice and champagne came unbidden to the forefront of her mind. Why was everyone crowding her, _trapping her_ , today?

"I waited for over an hour love, before sleep took me." His grin was lecherous now. "I suppose we still have time this morning to pick up where we left off last night…" He leaned down and captured Emma's lips with his own, and Emma tried not to grimace at the rough stubble against her lips and chin. After allowing a quick kiss, she put her hands on his shoulders and pushed gently, stepping back from him. "Killian…"

Sighing, Killian released her. "All right Swan," he said, "what's going on with you? We're alone. Don't you want to spend some time together?" Emma gave him a guilty look and replied, "Of course I do. It's just…there's still more we have to do. All these new people, and Henry's working hard to document them and figure everything out, and he shouldn't have to do it alone. We need to go to Granny's and check up on our…our guests." Killian signed, resigned. "All right, Swan. But do you think, after we're done with the heroics today, we could have a chance to _be_ together?" He gave her a roguish grin and waggled his eyebrows. Emma fought the urge to roll her eyes and wondered when his charms had gone from amusing her to annoying her. "Soon, Killian," she promised, leaning forward to give a small peck to his cheek. "Give me a moment, I need to go charge my phone and use the bathroom." Brushing past him, she went upstairs, plugged her phone in, and walked into her adjoining bathroom. Closing the door behind her, she took a seat on the floor and rested her back against the door. She hung her head in her hands, breathing heavily.

 _Savior._

 _Happy endings._

 _Regina split herself and killed her evil side. She's different. Something's wrong._

 _Killian wants to consummate our relationship and I don't know if I want to. Why don't I want to?_

 _Land of Untold Stories. Villains. Heroes._

 _How was Regina handling Robin's death, really?_

 _Bring back the happy endings._

So many things on her mind, so much responsibility on her shoulders….she was having a panic attack! _That's_ what was wrong with her! She hadn't recognized it because it had been so long since she'd had one. 13 years, in fact. Her last one had been in prison, when she'd found out she was pregnant with Henry. Desperately, she tried to remember the breathing exercises she'd been taught, and slowly, her tremors stopped and her heart calmed. After another moment, she felt a lot calmer. She stood, turned on her faucet, and splashed her face with cold water. She turned the faucet off, dried her face, and peered at her reflection in the mirror. She almost didn't recognize the strained, pale face staring back at her. It was pathetic.

"Em-ma," she heard faintly, and for a moment, she thought she saw a second figure in the mirror. One that looked awfully familiar….she stared harder, disbelieving.

A knock on the bathroom door startled her and she turned toward the sound. "Swan, you all right love?" she heard Killian ask through the door. Emma replied loudly, "Yeah, I'll be out in a second!" She turned back to the mirror and looked for the figure again. It wasn't there. Emma told herself that her nerves were still frazzled and she'd imagined the whole thing. Rolling her eyes at her own weakness, she turned and exited the bathroom. It was time to get to work, so that she could eventually get back to starting her life with Killian.

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As soon as Emma and Killian entered Granny's, they were bombarded by a large group of fairy tale characters.

"You have to find my mother! I know she was with me when we crashed, but I haven't seen her here!"

"I dropped my satchel in the forest, it had something very important-no, don't worry about what's in it, I just need it found!"

"Have you seen my wife?"

"Is Hyde really locked up?"

"Emma, can you calm these people down before they wreck my establishment?!"

It was chaos and Emma's sense of calm was already beginning to dissipate. She instantly regretted coming here without an organized plan. She searched for something to say in reply but the sound of the door opening and heels clicking against the floor caused everyone to stop and turn. Regina and Henry breezed into Granny's and Regina quickly placed herself between Emma and Killian and the mob of newcomers. Her presence immediately engulfed the entire room, and she gave a calming smile. "Good morning everyone. If we weren't introduced last night, I'm Regina Mills. I'm aware that all of you have questions, a few of you are looking for loved ones and missing belongings, and we will get it all sorted out, but for now we all need to calm down and form an orderly line so that we may address each issue individually. Nothing can get done if everyone is yelling over each other."

 _Regina, always just in time to save the day and take control._

Emma felt her cheeks flush with heat and she chocked it up to being embarrassed that she hadn't been able to handle a simple mob of storybook characters. Yes, that was it.

The crowd began to shuffle about, forming a line. At that moment, Snow and David walked through the door, accompanied by Zelena. She was pushing baby Robin in a stroller. "Good morning everyone!" She said cheerily. "My goodness, this is a large crowd. I'm so sorry I missed the showdown with Hyde, motherhood duties, you know! But I'm here now!" She joined Regina in the front of the crowd and sent her sister a beaming smile. Emma noted that Regina didn't smile back, and wondered what that was about. Snow spoke up, "Everyone, David and I will join Henry in taking down the rest of your names and your concerns. Please form a line in the back of the room, and we will get this done so we can all move forward."

If Regina was annoyed at Snow's overtaking of command, she didn't show it. She pulled Zelena into a corner and began talking quietly with her, but Emma noticed she kept looking her way, her eyes tinged with concern and exasperation. Emma couldn't take it. She looked away and joined her parents and son in listening to each person's grievances, Killian following behind her with a hand on her waist.

It was going to be a long day.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Hey! Here's chapter 4. I feel like I'm getting into Emma's character better, but I'm not sure, so let me know. So far this was the hardest chapter to write, because it involved a CS scene. So here's the warning for that: **CS WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A HEAVY CS SCENE. THEY DO NOT GO "ALL THE WAY" BUT THEY GO FAR ENOUGH THAT I FELT THE NEED TO GIVE THIS WARNING. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER WARNING JUST BEFORE THE SCENE SO YOU CAN SKIP IT IF YOU NEED TO. I felt that the scene was necessary to move Emma's story forward, even though I hated every second of writing it.** This was also my favorite chapter to write so far, so I hope you give it a chance and leave a review! Let me know how I'm doing! More encouragement means faster chapters. :) _

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"That was the longest day of my _life,_ " Henry groaned as he dramatically collapsed into a booth at the diner. Regina laughed at him and Emma ruffled his hair as they squeezed in beside him. He was getting so big that the three of them on one side of the booth was now a tight fit, but they didn't mind. Snow and David took their seats opposite them, and Killian pulled up a chair at the edge of the table. Zelena had gone home hours ago, claiming she was "bored out of her mind". It was dinner time, and no one felt like going home and cooking after the day they'd had. Granny already agreed to feed them, but only if they paid, because she wasn't a _complete_ charity.

While they waited for their food, Henry pulled his notebook out and opened it, reviewing the information he'd added to it today. Snow, noticing, said, "Henry, why don't you put that away?"

"Can't. I have to help these people."

Regina bumped her shoulder into his and sided with Snow. "Take a break for a minute, Henry. Get some food in you. You've worked entirely too hard the past few days. It's okay to breathe, you know." Emma and David nodded in agreement, and Killian added, "Besides, lad, it's like you're trying to take this all on by yourself. It's too much for one boy to handle."

Henry shot him a glare ( _wow,_ that _was new)_ and stated, "Don't you get it? Any of you?" he looked around at the whole group before continuing with conviction: "I'm the Author. It's my responsibility to see these stories play out and to record them. It's my job to make sure nothing happens to ruin these stories, and that they all go as smoothly as they can! None of these people will go home until their stories are finished."

Emma felt suddenly guilty. Here she was, panicking over her own responsibilities and her own problems, and she hadn't paid a single thought to how Henry must be feeling. To be honest, she'd nearly forgotten he was the new Author. He was feeling as much stress as the rest of them, and they'd been too distracted to see it. Emma reached over Regina and took Henry's hand in her own. "Hey, kid," she said softly, sending him a smile and trying hard to ignore the press of Regina's body against hers, "Killian didn't mean you couldn't handle it. He just meant that, we all have responsibilities. Hell, I'm the Savior, right? So doesn't that mean I have to help them find their happy endings too?"

Regina wrapped her arm around Henry and pressed her head to his. It made Emma's heart flutter. She was so good with him, was closer to him than anyone in the world. "Henry," she murmured, "I just split myself in half to get rid of the part that was holding me back from fully helping you, all of you. I'm here and I'll take as much responsibility as anyone else to take care of this problem. We'll all work together and we can all share the burden. So, maybe, put the notebook up and enjoy dinner with us?"

It was then that Emma realized what an ass she'd been that morning. She'd been having a panic attack and Regina had seen it. Regina had reached out to her, and she'd shrugged her off instead of letting her help. Regina had _killed_ half of herself so that she could be there for the people she cared for without her darker thoughts in the way. She'd been being a friend, and Emma had completely and totally _not_ behaved like a friend.

The sound of Henry's sigh pulled her from her thoughts and she glanced over to see him close the notebook and it back in his bag under the table. Regina gave him a squeeze and then let him go. David smiled and said "So now we can relax, if only for a meal."

Their food arrived shortly after, and they all dug in. About halfway through her grilled cheese, Emma saw Regina picking at her salad with a furrowed brow and knew she was still feeling down. Elbowing her, Emma teased, "Why don't you ever get a burger, Madam Mayor?" Regina rolled her eyes at her and replied, "Because _some_ of us don't have the highest metabolism in the world, _Miss Swan_." Emma grinned. Here was what she liked: the teasing, the banter, the easiness. She pulled a fry from her plate and waved it in front of Regina's face. "Like you're going to gain fifty pounds by eating _one_ greasy meal." Regina batted her hand away, taking another bite of her salad. "I might, Emma. You never know."

Emma sent a glance around the table and realized that her parents, Henry, and Killian were conversing lightly and not paying them any attention. In a sudden burst of mischief, she pressed her lips into Regina's hair and whispered, "I think we know exactly where those fifty pounds would go if it happened." Emma felt Regina shiver and smirked, figuring that her breath had tickled her ear, and realized her heart had started to pound in her chest. _Probably because Regina could laugh or she could slap me and storm out, we'll see…_

Thankfully, Regina shoved at her and barked out a laugh. "Yes, Emma," she whispered back playfully, "straight to my _ass_. Hence why I do _not_ need your damn French fry." They both burst into laughter and damn, it felt so good. Better than good. Emma felt a warmth spread deep inside her and she never wanted it to go away. She felt amazing. And, as a bonus, she'd gotten Regina to say "ass".

"What are you two laughing about over there?" Killian's voice broke through their moment of warmth like a bucket of ice water. Regina's smile disappeared instantly and she turned back to her food. Emma smiled at Killian and stated simply, "Regina's crappy metabolism," which made the whole table crack up with laughter, Regina blush, and Killian knit his brows in confusion.

When they all finished their meals, they discussed what tomorrow would consist of: David and Killian would organize a large group of the newcomers and townspeople to go into the forest as a search party (there were seven missing people and nine missing belongings), Henry would begin to meet with people one by one ("In the diner, so Granny can keep an eye out," Regina insisted) to hear their stories and find out exactly where their tales got stuck. Snow would take a day to spend with baby Neal ("And maybe invite Zelena over for tea, after all, she's been trying so hard to be good," suggested the ever-optimistic Snow White), and Emma and Regina would go have a talk with a certain prisoner to see if he would spill what his plans had been.

With their next day organized, the group began to part ways for the night. Snow and David left first to get back to their son, and Regina and Henry stood to depart for the manor. While they were getting their coats on, Killian pulled Emma away from the booth and drew her close. "Want some company for the night, Swan?" he asked in a low, seductive voice. "I'd love to finally have that nightcap."

 _Psh, like you didn't have one last night, this morning, this afternoon, and at dinner,_ Emma thought wryly, eyeing the flask at his hip. She felt her heart speed back up, but this time it wasn't out of anticipation. It was the now-obvious feeling of panic…which didn't make any _sense_. Squashing the feeling down, she forced a smile for him and said, "You know what, Killian, I'd love to. I just need to talk to Regina about something. Give me a second?"

Killian eagerly agreed and Emma walked back to Regina, catching her by the elbow. "Hang on, Henry," she addressed their son, "I just need a word with your mother real quick."

"Okay, Ma."

Regina allowed Emma to pull her to the back of the diner before pulling her arm away and leaning against the wall, crossing her arms and looking at the floor. "Look, Emma," she began, but Emma interrupted her.

"No, Regina, let me say something. I won't take much of your time."

Regina closed her mouth and nodded tightly, raising her gaze to look Emma in the eyes. Emma momentarily forgot what she was going to say while looking into those intense brown orbs that seemed so much more _open_ than they had in the past. _Regina really does have beautiful eyes…._

"Emma?"

Emma snapped out of her daze at Regina's careful tone, and remembered what she was going to say. "Right. Sorry. Um, I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I'm sorry for last night in the woods, and this morning after breakfast. After I, uh, _poofed_ home, I had a moment to think and I realized I had been having a panic attack. A couple of them, I guess. I'm also guessing you knew what was happening."

Regina nodded slowly. "I did. I didn't realize it until this morning, though."

"Right. So, I wanted to say I'm sorry. You were trying to be there, to be my friend, to help me. And….I acted like a complete asshole. You didn't deserve that, and neither did Henry. You guys are going through some stuff too, and I was selfish."

Regina looked away again and ran her fingers through her hair. "Emma," she sighed, "I was in the wrong this morning. I've…I've had panic attacks. Multiple ones. And what I did, trapping you in the foyer, that was the wrong thing to do. For whatever reason, you trust me, and cornering you while you were panicking betrayed that trust. _I'm_ sorry, Emma. For pressing you and not waiting for you to come to me, if and when you were ready."

Emma stared at her incredulously. " _For whatever reason?"_ she exclaimed. "Of course, I trust you, Regina. And I hope you trust me. We've been through how much crap already, saved each other how many times?"

Regina chuckled, her body relaxing. "Definitely a lot of…crap." The word was so foreign coming from her mouth that Emma immediately started giggling, which resulted in Regina chuckling, and finally they both were laughing together. The warmth was back in Emma's chest, and she knew that everything was going to be okay now. They were communicating. Things were getting easier.

The laughter died away and Regina said, "Well, I need to get Henry home. We have another busy day tomorrow. Would you…like to come with us? Stay in the guest room?"

Emma was touched. She'd stayed in the guest room once or twice before, after drinking a little too much at dinner or staying too late talking with Regina. This was Regina offering her home to give Emma a break from her troubles, give her a bit of familiarity and comfort. It meant a lot, but…

"I, uh, I told Killian I'd go home with him tonight," Emma said regretfully. She watched as a strange multitude of emotions crossed Regina's face before a stoic look settled. "Ah, I see," Regina said, a little coldly. "Yes, I suppose you haven't had much time with your true love since he was brought back from the dead and everything."

Emma felt the statement like a stab in her heart. Regina's soul mate was dead, it was Emma's fault that he was gone, and here she was going home with the man that had been brought back from the dead like it was a simple parlor trick while Regina went home to a cold bed. She felt selfish all over again.

"I don't know if he's my true love, Regina," she began, but Regina was already turning to walk back to the front of the diner. "Make the pirate at least remove the hook beforehand," she tossed frigidly over her shoulder as she began to walk away. "Be a shame if someone got hurt."

Apparently, their moment of understanding and bonding was over.

 ** _WARNING: THE CS SCENE STARTS HERE. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO READ, SKIP DOWN TO THE END OF THE WARNING NOW._**

Killian pounced on Emma the second they closed the front door behind them. He backed her into the wall, his body large and heavy and his lips rough and demanding. "I missed you, Swan," he breathed as he kissed his way down her neck. She wrapped her arms around him and burrowed into him, trying to shake off whatever she'd been feeling about this and get into the moment. She'd gone through being the Dark One, losing him, losing him again, and finally getting him back, literally by the grace of the gods. She deserved to finally be with the man that she loved, and he deserved to be with her.

At least, that's what she was trying to tell herself. His kisses were sloppy, his hand too rough, and his breath reeked of hamburger and rum. She tried to ignore it as he scooped her up in his arms (minding his hook) and carried her up the stairs to the bedroom where he laid her down on the bed and began removing his boots and overcoat. She sat up and began to remove her own coat and boots, noticing that her heart was pounding once more out of fear and her breath was coming way too fast.

Killian misread her heavy breathing as a sign of passion, and he quickly removed his Hook and placed it on top of his coat. He crawled onto the bed, laying Emma down and hovering over her body. "Patience, love," he growled cockily, "No one will be interrupting us tonight. Let's savor the moment." He reached over to turn on the bedside lamp. "I want to see you," he said, and then pressed his lips to hers, his tongue forcing its way inside her mouth in what was probably the sloppiest kiss of her life. She grimaced at the foul taste of his mouth but kissed him back anyway, forcing her hands to begin unbuttoning his shirt. When Emma unbuttoned the last one, he immediately reached for the hem of her blouse. She sat up slightly, allowing him to pull it over her head. Without even stopping to look at her, he went straight for her bra-clad breasts, kneading them roughly with his hand and kissing down the valley between them. His beard scratched her skin to the point of irritation, but she kept her mouth shut. She _would_ enjoy this. She just needed to relax.

Relaxation wasn't happening. Her heart was pounding, her blood was roaring in her ears, and her body was trembling badly. The feel, the smell, the taste of Killian Jones was completely wrong. Something had changed in the last few days, and everything felt completely…. _wrong._

 _Stop it, Swan,_ she ordered herself. _This is Killian. You love him. You want this just as badly as he does. Snap out of it!_ But it wasn't working. Killian had kissed his way down her stomach and unbuttoned her jeans, slipping his hand inside and beneath her underwear.

That was the breaking point. Emma let out a cry and pushed him off her, rolling away and standing up off the bed, falling against the wall.

"What the hell, Swan?" Killian shouted, standing up with her. "What is your problem?" Emma felt his eyes on her as she fought to control her quaking body. "I'm sorry, Killian," she gasped out, "I can't. Not tonight."

"Yeah, I noticed," he snapped. "My first touch of you and you're dry as a drought. I thought you wanted me! Have you just been toying with me?" He was angry. Emma didn't blame him. She deserved his anger. What kind of woman couldn't even make love to the man she'd sacrificed everything for, the man she claimed she loved?

"Swan! What game are you playing? What is _wrong_ with you?"

Emma looked up, her eyes meeting his. Half of his face was illuminated by the lamplight, and he looked dark, menacing, dangerous. "I'm sorry," she said, tears coming to her eyes. "Of course I want you, Killian. Haven't I proved that I want you, that I love you? I went to _hell_ for you!"

"Then talk to me. Why can't you allow us this? What's stopping you?"

"I don't know. I don't _know._ There's just too much in my head right now. Too much going on. I need more time."

Killian sighed and began to button up his shirt. "I suppose all I have is time, Swan," he ground out through gritted teeth. "If you need me, which I doubt you will, I'll be on my ship." With those words, he slipped on his boots and coat and strode out of the room. Emma remained where she was, leaning against the bare wall and shaking like a leaf, even after she heard her front door open and slam closed.

 ** _END OF CS SCENE. ALL YOU MISSED BY SKIPPING WAS EMMA STOPPING WHAT WAS HAPPENING, HOOK GETTING ANGRY AND LEAVING. CARRY ON BELOW THIS LINE._**

She focused on her breathing. In, out. In, out. With Killian gone, her tremors began to subside and her heartbeat slowed to a less erratic pace.

"That was excruciating," came a familiar voice in the dark. Emma nearly jumped out of her skin, looking up to see _Regina_ standing by her window, golden skin glowing in the soft light. She was wearing the same pantsuit from earlier, minus the blazer. "Regina!" Emma exclaimed, hands flying over her chest in an ineffective attempt to cover herself. She was still wearing nothing but her bra and her unbuttoned jeans. "You scared the hell out of me. What are you _doing_ here?"

Regina chuckled and pointed upwards. As she did so, a flash of lightning followed by booming thunder seemed to follow her gesture. "There's a storm brewing, and it appears to be originating from _just_ above your house. I became worried, so I set a protection spell on the manor-for Henry, of course, who's already sleeping soundly-and came to check on you. And I'm glad I did."

Regina waved her hand and Emma found herself suddenly dressed in a pair of boxers and a tank top, her usual sleeping attire. Her hair had been released from its ponytail and was cascading in wild curls down her back. "What…?" she gasped.

Regina sat down on the edge of the bed and shrugged. "I thought I'd help you get comfortable. Like I said, that was excruciating to _watch_ , I can't even imagine what is was like being an active participant. Guyliner kisses like a bloodhound, did you know that? _I_ didn't, until now."

Something was off. Something was wrong. Regina's voice…it was harsher. It lacked the lightness that it had had ever since she'd split with the Queen. Her tone was wrong, and her words lacked any warmth. Was she still so upset?

"Regina, I'm…" Emma trailed off, uncertain. "Thank you. For coming to check on me. It means a lot."

Regina smiled. "Of course, dear. That's what friends are for. Now come here."

Emma numbly walked to the bed and got in, and was dumbfounded as Regina crawled in beside her, pulled the covers up over both of them and began to play with Emma's hair.

 _What is she doing? We don't_ do _stuff like this, Regina isn't a "slumber party" kind of person, what is going_ on? Emma's thoughts were moving a mile a minute, she wanted to ask what Regina was doing and she couldn't get a single word to come out. Her heart was beating fast again, and she felt her body heating up. Was she embarrassed? She should be…Regina had almost witnessed her first time with Killian…shouldn't Emma be embarrassed, even _upset_ about that?

She heard Regina chuckle again before saying, "He saw you standing there, trembling, and he didn't once think to ask if you were okay. He could only think about himself." Regina scooted closer, pressing her front to Emma's side, and tucked Emma's hair behind her ear so that she could lean in and whisper, "He's a _dick,_ Em-ma."

"Oh," Emma whimpered in reaction. Her eyes wrenched closed as her friend's breath flowed over her skin, causing shivers to course through her. She wasn't trembling anymore with fear, she was now trembling with confusion and a strange thrill. She was still so stunned by the events of the past 30 minutes that she could barely function. Not very long ago she'd been experiencing another panic attack and fighting with Hook over her inability to make love to him, and now she was laying in bed with Regina. What even was her life right now? And ohh, her body was _hot,_ her heart now beating strongly against her ribcage. "Regina, what are you-"

"Shhhh. Is this okay? I know it's not something we've ever done, but I quite like it, personally."

Emma turned her head to stare into captivating brown eyes and found herself nodding. Of course this was okay. This was more contact than they'd ever had, and it felt good not to worry about their unspoken "no touching" rule. Wasn't this what friends were supposed to do? Comfort each other? Emma wasn't really sure of anything at the moment, except that it felt good to have Regina there with her.

She registered the feeling of soft fingers on her face. Regina was tracing a path down her cheek, over her chest, sliding down to the valley between her breasts. Her touch left a trail of tingling skin behind, and Emma's breath caught in disbelief as Regina's finger slipped over her nipple. Electricity arced over her skin and heat, _wet_ heat, pooled between her legs. Her entire body clenched and she couldn't stop a moan from leaving her lips. She looked up again at Regina, green eyes finding _intense_ brown, and started to ask again what she was doing. However, her question never came out as she saw her friend's face growing closer to her own, _almost like she's going to_ kiss _me…._ that thought brought about another almost painful clench in her core…and that's when she was hit with a realization the size of a freight truck.

"You're not Regina."


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: I borrowed the conversation that Snow and Regina had in 6x01 and applied it to this chapter. I really liked that scene, and Regina needed a little bit of hope before finding out the Queen was back, right? Haha...poor Regina. Hope you like it!_

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Regina sat in her home office, nursing a glass of cider and staring accusingly at the wall. Henry had gone to bed a little bit ago, but Regina couldn't wind down.

Dinner had been…fun. They'd spent all day dealing with the apparent imbeciles from the Land of Untold Stories, and everyone had been tense. After Henry had calmed down, the tension in the air had dissipated. Regina had been so worried about Emma, about what had happened that morning, that she'd been pleasantly surprised at their easy banter and teasing. It was like nothing had happened. She blushed at the memory of Emma whispering in her ear, referencing the size of her posterior in good humor. And they'd talked, afterwards. They'd _finally_ had some communication, and Regina was sure things were going to get better.

Until Emma had told her she was going home with _Hook._

Regina gritted her teeth and took a large gulp of her cider. She'd invited Emma back to the manor, so that maybe they could talk more and be in a calming atmosphere. They both needed it, she knew, but Emma had turned her down, choosing instead to go copulate with the pirate. Which shouldn't surprise Regina; of course Emma would want to have more time with the man she'd successfully rescued from the dead…at the cost of others' lives.

Regina tamped down that thought before it could spread. She wasn't angry at Emma. She'd chosen to follow her to hell, chosen to stay, and chosen to help defeat Hades. It was her own choices that had gotten Robin killed-well, hers and Zelena's. How her sister could have fallen for a man she'd known for two whole minutes was beyond her. She'd put all her faith in a villain, and everyone knew that villains didn't get happy endings. Zelena's weakness of needing to be wanted had been Robin's downfall.

But, Regina told herself that she didn't blame Zelena either. Zelena was trying to change, trying to be a better person for Regina and for baby Robin. Directing blame at her would not be a good thing at this stage.

Regina's thoughts drifted back to Emma, like they always seemed to do. Emma deserved better than the misogynistic pirate, but Regina had tried to tell her that before and it had seemed to go over her head. Hook was who she wanted, who she gave up everything for, and he didn't even deserve it. _Then again,_ she thought suddenly _, Emma became the Dark One to save_ me _, and I didn't deserve it either._ Emma was just so indisputably _good,_ and her efforts always seemed to be rewarded because of it. That was part of the reason Regina had split herself: the next time she found happiness, whenever that would be, the darker part of her wouldn't prevent it from becoming a _true_ happy ending.

The ringing of Regina's cell phone brought her out of her thoughts, and she glanced at it before looking up at the clock. It was eleven o'clock at night! Who the hell had the gall to call her at this hour? Grabbing her phone, she saw that the culprit was Snow White. Maybe something was wrong, maybe something had happened, she reasoned as she pressed the "answer" button. "Hello?"

The sound of a baby's wails erupted in her ears, and she heard Snow make a loud shushing noise before blurting, "Oh, Regina! Thank goodness you answered. Neal is teething, and the Blue Fairy warned me that he was fussy, but- _oh, shhh, honey!-_ Regina, I can't calm him down, and David's already asleep. He could sleep through an apocalypse!"

Regina felt a pang of sympathy for Snow. They'd already had such a long, stressful day, and going home to a screaming baby would not be the first thing on Regina's wish list. With a resigned sigh, she suggested, "Have you tried an ice cube wrapped in cloth?"

"No, no I haven't…"

"Do that."

She hung on the line while Snow rummaged for a cloth and ice, and to her dismay she only heard Neal crying harder. "Regina!," Snow cried, "He's not taking it. It's making everything worse!"

Regina pinched the bridge of her nose. If Snow didn't calm down, Neal wouldn't either. "Hang on," she said, and hung up the phone. She went upstairs to check on Henry, found him fast asleep, and after closing his door she threw a couple of protection and alarm spells up before transporting herself from the manor to Snow's apartment.

Snow was bouncing the screaming baby (way too desperately) and started when she saw the cloud of smoke, but immediately gave Regina a thankful smile. "Oh, thank you, Regina. I'm sorry, I just don't-"

"Hand him here," Regina interrupted. "Him and the cloth."

Snow eagerly handed Neal to Regina- _my, how times have changed,_ Regina thought with amusement-and when Regina had him cradled against her, handed over the cloth that contained the ice cube. Regina began to lightly rock the baby boy in her arms and stuck the cold cloth between his gums. "Hello there, sweetheart," she crooned softly, rubbing the cloth against his gums. He stopped crying immediately and stared up at Regina with wide green eyes. He bit down hard on the cloth-covered cube and began to gnaw at it. Regina continued to rock him, humming a soft tune to keep him calm.

"Wow."

Regina glanced up at Snow to see the pixie-haired brunette gaping at her in wonder. "What?" she asked with a laugh at the comical expression. Snow breathed, "You're so good with him. How did you calm him so quickly?"

Regina moved to sit down on Snow's couch and gestured with her head for Snow to sit beside her. "You have to remain calm," she instructed quietly when Snow took a seat. "He can sense your distress, and therefore he's distressed. The key thing in situations like this is to always remain calm. He relies on you to do so."

They sat in silence for a minute, listening to Neal's gurgling and sucking noises as he continued to gnaw on the melting cube. Finally, Snow said, "I'm sorry, Regina."

Regina's brows furrowed. "Whatever for?" she inquired. Snow was smiling sadly at her. "I saw you talking with Zelena today," she began carefully. Regina blinked. She'd completely forgotten talking with her sister. Zelena had been flippant and carefree, sharing all the _wonderful_ things about her baby and how fantastic it was that bringing down Hyde hadn't been _too_ hard, and how she was cleaning up her farmhouse to make it more of a home. The whole conversation had been pretty dull, really.

Sensing that Regina wasn't going to stop her or deflect the conversation, Snow went on with more confidence. "I know it must be hard, even without the Evil Queen inside you. Losing someone you love, again, can't be an easy thing to deal with. Are you and Zelena all right? How do you feel about her name choice for her baby? Are you...dealing with your loss okay?"

Regina stared off into the distance, thinking for a moment before answering honestly, "I don't know how I feel. I _want_ for Zelena and I to be close, but there's something stopping me now. She…she took Robin from me, Snow. She took him to New York, tricked him into believing she was his wife, tricked him into getting her pregnant. I…I can't carry a child, Snow."

Snow's eyes widened. She hadn't known this bit of information before. "Why?" she asked softly. Regina let out a shuddering breath, trying to keep herself calm for the sake of the baby in her arms. "My mother…wanted me to conceive an heir with…with…"

"My father."

"Yes." Regina's mood darkened with the memory of her husband, her captor, and Snow saw it immediately. "So, what did you do?" she pressed, moving the conversation forward and away from that particular subject. "Well," Regina continued, "I cursed myself. I drank a potion that would prevent me from ever conceiving a child, with anyone. I could have never carried Robin's baby, Snow. Zelena could, and did. Through lies and deceit."

Snow reached over and placed her hand on Regina's forearm. "I was cursed that way too," she confided. "King George...he put the potion in a drink, and like an idiot I drank it. He was trying to come between David and me. But it didn't work! David and I, together we found the cure. The curse isn't permanent, Regina."

Regina couldn't believe it. There was a cure, and maybe one day she could find it and reverse the potion…but what good would it do? _Robin was still dead, and Zelena still had his child._ Taking a deep breath, Regina said, "It doesn't matter anymore. My chance for happiness with Robin is gone. I have Henry, and I'll always have Henry, and that's enough. It's just that sometimes, I feel like Zelena and I will never truly be close because our past will always stand in the way. At the end of that story, she had his child, and I lost him forever…his soul obliterated."

She trailed off and they sat in silence for awhile. Neal was drifting off to sleep in Regina's arms, and she busied herself with staring at his face. He truly was a beautiful baby. Looked a lot like Henry when he was that age…

Seemingly out of nowhere, they saw a flash of lightning through the windows, followed by deep, rumbling thunderclap. "Hmm," Snow said, "Seems a storm is moving in. I hope it doesn't delay the search party tomorrow." Regina nodded in agreement. "It should pass before then," she stated. Why had they reverted to small talk? She glanced over at her former stepdaughter and studied her face for a moment. If anyone could give her a hope speech when she needed it, it was Snow. Snow stared back, silent and expectant. Finally, Regina croaked out, "I was an _awful_ stepmother." Snow's eyes widened and she shook her head. "Regina, come on, that was the past…" Regina noticed a flush beginning on her cheeks. They'd never had this conversation, and Snow wasn't ready for it. _Fine._ Regina moved on to the question she wanted to ask next. "How did you maintain hope during those terrible times?"

Snow thought for a moment, then replied, "When my mother died…and my father, I had nothing. And then I realized, while y-while the Evil Queen was trying to kill me"-Regina glanced away guiltily-"the only way to stay alive was to never give up. You taught me how to have faith. _You_ were the one who taught me that hope was a choice." Tears welled up in her eyes and she smiled at Regina through her tears.

With that, Regina made a decision. A decision to let go of her pain, her guilt and blame over the way she lost Robin. Taking a deep breath, she stated, "I think Hades was wrong. Robin is at peace." It was what she _needed_ to believe. She stood up and placed Neal, now sleeping soundly, in his bassinet in the corner of the living room. Snow stood with her, and when Regina turned around, Snow grabbed her hands in her own and smiled at her. She didn't need to say anything more, she knew she'd done her job.

Regina peered into the eyes of the other woman and smiled. "You know, when I became the Evil Queen, I did exactly what these people from the Land of Untold Stories did. I hid away. My life just stopped. The only story I heard was the one I kept telling myself: that I was the 'Evil Queen'. Until finally I forgot the most important thing: my life was never just one story. It was many stories. To some, a villain. I…hurt people in ways I can _never_ make up for."

Her thoughts drifted to Emma. Emma stopping the trigger with her two years ago, Emma believing in her when no one else did. Emma, who convinced her that the evil had not made her strong, that she was strong _in spite_ of it. _Emma,_ who sacrificed her life believing in Regina's ability to save her. She pulled her hand from Snow's and ran it through her hair before continuing, "To others I'm…a hero. They see my strength, my ability to do the hard things even when I thought I couldn't."

She placed her hand back in Snow's, took a deep breath, and stated the rest of her new decision. "I want to start a new story, one where the Evil Queen doesn't get a part. And I _choose_ to believe that this story will have a better ending than my last."

Snow beamed at her and pulled her into a hug. Regina hugged her back. She hadn't even known she'd needed this conversation. A couple of year ago, if someone had told her that Snow White would have been the person who finally convinced her to have hope in a good future, she would have fireballed them into oblivion. _Strange how things play out when you let them._

Snow pulled back with a strange look on her face. "Regina," she murmured, "You said there were people that see your ability to do the things you thought you couldn't. Were you talking about Emma?" Regina frowned and replied hesitantly, "Well, yes, she's definitely put a lot of faith in me lately, hasn't she?" Snow laughed. "Yes, she has. More faith in you than I've ever seen her put in anyone, not even Killian Jones." Regina could see the gears working in Snow's head, and wondered what on earth the other brunette was getting at.

"Regina, my daughter is more open and trusting with you than anyone. True love's kiss didn't work for her or Hook in Camelot, and splitting her heart with him didn't work like it did with David and me..."

Regina's skin began to crawl. She wanted to flee. She didn't know where Snow was going with this, but she was sure she didn't want to find out. She stepped back and looked away from Snow, desperate for a way out. It was delivered to her miraculously in the form of a loud ringing noise, coming from her pants pocket. Regina pulled it out of her pocket and was surprised to see Emma's number on the screen. _Well, speak of the Savior._ Wasn't she supposed to be enjoying her uninterrupted night with her one-handed oaf?

She glanced at Snow, seeing the worry on her face, and answered the call. "Emma?"

Emma was breathing heavily. "Regina, I knew that wasn't you," she gasped. "The Queen…"

Alarm bells went off in Regina's head. She could hear the shakiness of Emma's voice, the terrified words that she could barely get out. "What? Emma, what are you talking about?" she demanded, confused, a sense of trepidation growing in her. _Come on, Emma. Calm down and spit it out!_

"The Queen isn't dead, Regina. She's…she was just here, in my bedroom. She's not dead!"

Well, so much for the Evil Queen not getting a part in her story.


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Whew, this chapter was hard. I don't know about how this one came out, guys. I want to move things quickly, and I think that the only way to do that is to make ONE of our leading ladies start to realize some things. And I think the realization needs to be prompted, a bit. I don't know if this works though, if I'm moving too fast, or what, so if you like it or hate it please drop a review and let me know. I'm flying blind at this point. Anyway, enough of my rambling. Enjoy!_

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After ordering Emma to meet her at the manor, Regina hung up and raised her hands, preparing to transport herself home. Snow grabbed her arm and cried, "Did I hear her right? The Evil Queen is alive? Here?" Regina shot the pixie-haired nuisance a glare and jerked her arm away. "Emma seems to think so. Wouldn't that just make our week? " Without allowing another word from Snow, Regina went home.

By the time she got there a couple seconds later, Emma was already knocking softly but insistently on her front door. She opened it and Emma barged past her and helped herself to the decanter of whiskey in the corner of the foyer. "Miss Swan! Please come in, make yourself at home." she remarked sardonically.

Emma, after a rather large gulp of whiskey, didn't say a word. She immediately walked back to take Regina's face in her hands. Regina's eyes went wide as Emma leaned in, almost as if she was going to kiss her. "Wha-"

"Shh." Regina's mouth snapped shut in acquiescence and let Emma cradle her face in her soft, cold hands. Emma stared into Regina's widened eyes for a moment as if searching for something, and apparently found what she was looking for because she finally sighed and stepped back. "It's you." Regina rolled her eyes. "Of course it's me, Emma. No big hair or extravagant dress to be seen."

Emma crossed her arms and continued her pacing. "She didn't look like she normally does. She looked like you." Regina's jaw dropped. "She's really here. Oh God…You mean she was impersonating me? The me half of me…whatever."

"The clothes you're wearing and everything. Regina, I knew something was wrong but I didn't see it immediately…"

Regina grabbed her arm, stopping her pacing. "Wait, wait, wait," she said, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose, trying to get her thoughts straight. "Why was she in your bedroom? Where was Hook?" Regina demanded to know. Emma turned beet red and averted her eyes. "Hook wasn't….wasn't there. He left before she arrived…or, before she made herself known, I don't know."

Regina recoiled slightly before a hysteric laugh left her mouth and she blurted, "He left? We all literally got home a little over an hour and a half ago. Did he not stay and cuddle?" Emma's lip curled in disgust and she pulled away from Regina to go sit on the couch, head in her hands. Regina felt bad instantly, realizing that whatever had happened between Emma and Hook hadn't been good. Pushing that-and the strangely satisfying feeling that knowledge brought-to the side for now, and took a seat beside Emma. "I'm sorry," she said in a low voice. "It's none of my business. Tell me what happened with…her."

Emma shook her head, still covering her face with her hands. "She was just…there," she said, her voice muffled. "When Killian left, she revealed herself. I guess she was standing in the dark part of the bedroom. Neither of us noticed her. She looked _just like you_ , Regina.." she trailed off and groaned.

Regina couldn't believe what was happening right now. This wasn't possible. "I ripped out her _heart,_ " she said with conviction. "I killed her. We all saw her crumble to dust. She was gone! This has to be some trick of Rumplestiltskin's, maybe he's impersonating me. Or maybe one of our new 'guests' is playing dress-up." That was it, she was sure.

But Emma was shaking her head. "No," she sighed heavily, lifting her head to look over at Regina _Her eyes looked so tired_. "This was _you._ " She said it so confidently, and that confidence terrified Regina. "How could you tell?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Emma froze for a second and Regina saw the flush return to her cheeks. While that had been admittedly cute before, it was starting to get old. " _How could you tell?"_ she insisted, scooting closer and grabbing Emma's arm. _This is important, Emma, don't block me out now._

Emma shuddered at the contact of Regina's hand and grabbed it off her arm to cradle it in her own hands. "That look, I've seen it before," she sighed out, resigned. "I've seen your eyes when you're seconds from losing your cool. I've seen the deep hurt there. I've seen the deviousness, and the pain that you hide behind the anger. It was all there, deep in her eyes, Regina. The look is one of a kind. No imposter could match _you_ so well."

Regina was trying to pay attention, really she was. Emma Swan was telling her that she knew her eyes and everything behind them and that nothing could match the depths of them. But she found herself distracted by the fact that Emma was now stroking Regina's hand with her thumb absentmindedly as she spoke, staring off into the distance. How was it possible for a simple touch like that to feel so very intense? Especially right now?

"And…her voice. I know your voice, Regina. No one else sounds or speaks the way you do. She's you, and yet not you. But she's here, Regina. She's not dead. Crushing her heart didn't work. And she spoke to me for a minute before I realized who she was. She told me the storm that was brewing was originating from my house and she'd come to check on me. When I realized who she was-or rather, who she _wasn't_ \- she…"

Regina noticed that Emma had stopped talking. She was hesitating about something. Trying to keep her voice steady, as it felt like her heart was trying to break out of her ribcage, she questioned, "The storm came from your house?" That proved Emma had been upset, _before_ the Queen had showed. Something had definitely gone wrong between her and her lover. Was sex with Hook really that bad? _Not the time, Regina._ "She…what?" she prompted, moving forward with her thoughts. "Emma, I know myself so nothing you say she did will surprise me. Just tell me. Be honest. Did she threaten you? What happened? We need to work _together_ right now."

Emma's grip tightened on Regina's hand before her shaky voice was heard, "She didn't say anything, didn't threaten me or hurt me in any way. She just leaned forward, k-kissed my cheek, and poofed out of my be-my room." She spoke quickly and she dropped her head back down so that her hair was veiling her face.

A bolt of heat rocked Regina to the core. _The Evil Queen had been in Emma's bed._ Emma had stopped the word and tried to cover it, but Regina had caught what she'd been going to say.

Regina realized she was gaping at Emma in complete, absolute, undeniable horror, not only at Emma's words but also at the reaction her body was having to them. The heat had settled low in her stomach and was spreading lower, making her squirm to ease the pressure. She desperately tried to ignore the sensation, as it didn't make any sense and it wasn't welcome. Her body just wasn't working correctly yet, she told herself, too much stress in the past few days and not enough time to process. "Well," she croaked out before clearing her throat and continuing, "I was wrong. I'm surprised." She pulled her hand away from Emma's and stood up, desperately needing air. "I…I need to…" she rushed out of the room, and Emma let her go. She made her way through the house and out onto her back porch, breathing in the cold air to calm her overheated body.

The Evil Queen had watched whatever happened between Emma and Hook. She had spoken to Emma, had climbed into Emma's bed after her lover had departed. And Emma had _let_ her, believing her to be Regina. Or rather, the _good_ Regina. She'd let her close enough to kiss her. _Why had she let her get that close, even believing she was me?_ And then the Queen hadn't done anything, said anything, just _kissed her_ and left? Something wasn't adding up, and Regina's head was starting to hurt thinking about it. _That's not the important part,_ she admonished herself. _What's important is how she's still alive and how the hell she got to Storybrooke, and what she's planning to do next._

"Regina?" Emma's soft voice floated over to her as her friend appeared on the porch, as if by magic. Regina had been so lost in her thoughts she hadn't even heard the door open. "Are you okay?"

Regina laughed humorlessly, crossing her arms against the cold and staring into her dark garden. "No, Emma. I'm not. Your mother convinced me to split myself. I did, and I _thought_ I'd destroyed the evil part of me, and I felt like my story could finally go on, that I could finally let go and find real happiness. Knowing that the Queen is not only dead, but here in Storybrooke planning who knows what, terrifies me."

She registered the feeling of arms wrapping around her waist from behind. Surprise and electricity erupting within her, she cried, "Emma?" Emma's arms were strong and relentless, and she wasn't letting go. Regina tried to turn her head to look at her, but she felt Emma's grip tighten and her lips on her ear. "Maybe you shouldn't have tried to kill her," Emma whispered hotly. "She's obviously stronger than you, if she survived you crushing her heart. And now she's going to go after everyone you've ever wanted dead, to finally get her revenge. And you, _this_ you, is too weak to stop her alone."

Regina's eyes filled with tears as she listened to Emma's hateful voice in her ear. She'd thought that Emma had been on her side, had been supporting her, but here she was, letting her know just how pathetic she was without her counterpart. Wasn't it just yesterday that she was telling Regina that the evil hadn't made her strong? She struggled against Emma's grip, but Emma just held her impossibly closer, one hand drifting up between her breasts over her heart, and one hand slipping lower over Regina's abdomen, stopping just above her pubic bone. Regina struggled harder against the invasive touch, and said in a trembling voice, "Stop. Emma, stop."

"Did I hurt your feelings, Regina?" Emma whispered, pressing her hips into Regina's backside and ignoring her order. _What the hell was going on?!_ "I'm only speaking the truth. Her eyes tonight, they showed all of the passion, the fire, the strength that yours now lack. You don't even know who you are without her, do you?"

The tears were falling freely from Regina's eyes now, and she stopped struggling, freezing in Emma's impossibly strong grip. "No," she whispered. "Why are you saying these things, Emma? Let me go."

She felt teeth bite into her earlobe and her knees buckled, a cry erupting from her lips as Emma's hand drifted lower, flattening over the apex of her thighs. "Feel how my touch affects you, Regina," Emma whispered, triumphant. "This is why you don't want me with Hook. This is why Robin's death isn't affecting you like it should. You never wanted him, not really. You felt _obligated_ to want him because of a ridiculous tattoo and some fairy dust. You've always wanted the one thing you'll never have-me. You'll never have a happy ending because you'll never have what you really want. It's time to admit it, Gina."

Regina couldn't breathe. Arousal and longing were coursing through her body, concentrating below Emma's hand, which was now cupping her, so strong it was _painful._ She'd never felt this turned on in her life, and it was all _wrong_. She needed to make Emma stop _talking_ and let her go, she couldn't bear to hear this, to let Emma touch her like this…

"HEY!"

The back door slammed and Regina winced, turning her head. Emma was barreling out onto the porch, faltering for only a second then as she glanced down at her doppelganger's hand placements, before throwing her hands up, magic crackling at her fingertips. "Let her go!"

Oh, _now_ Regina understood.

She felt the sizzle of magic and looked down to see her own hands instead of Emma's holding her now, arms decorated in jeweled sleeves. She heard a dark laugh, _her_ laugh, in her ear. "Look at her, Emma," The Queen taunted. "How could you _possibly_ want this pathetic woman?"

"I said let her go!" Emma shouted, ignoring her. Regina's eyes locked with Emma's and in a split second they had an understanding. Regina wrenched her body around, pulling the Queen between them. The Queen screamed as Emma's magic connected with her back and Regina finally broke her hold, spinning around to see _herself_ struggling against the strength of Emma's magical blast. Not wasting another second, Regina blasted the Queen with her own magic. Red and white swirled around the Evil Queen, taking her down to her knees. _We're winning_ , Regina thought, struggling to maintain the force of power flowing from her fingertips. _We're going to beat her._

But at the last second, the Queen threw up her hands and the magic sizzled away. Regina felt it drain from her and she dropped her hands, collapsing back onto the rail of her porch. Across from her, she saw that Emma had fallen against the side of the house, gasping for breath and staring in horror at the Queen between them, who had stood again and was now laughing maniacally.

"I killed you!" Regina yelled, finding her voice. The Queen's face sobered and she snarled, "Did you think it would be so easy as ripping out my heart? We have _two_ , now, dear. It'll take much more than that little trick to be rid of me."

At that moment, the back door opened and Henry ran outside. "Mom? Ma? I heard shouting, what's going…" he trailed off as he took in the scene in front of him. "You!" he yelled, staring at the Queen. Regina noticed that her counterpart's face had slid into a look of surprise. "Henry," she whispered, a small smile beginning to playing on her lips. "Everything is fine, dear. We're all just having a little…chat."

"How are you here?" Henry asked, planting his feet firmly as if preparing to fight, or run. "Mom killed you.. And…what are you doing to them?"

The Queen spread her hands out and gave a small laugh, "She didn't kill me. I _am_ her. I only came by for a visit, my prince. I mean them no harm."

Emma had recovered and the magic was crackling at her fingertips again. The Queen tossed her a look and spat, "Didn't you learn the first time that your magic doesn't affect me? I'm not attacking you, or anyone else. I simply came to deliver a message to…myself."

"What's your message?" Regina croaked, breathing heavily, still unable to fully process everything that had just happened.

The queen grinned widely at her and said, "I've already given the gist of it to you, Regina. The only other thing I can say is that you should have known better than to take _Snow White's_ advice. We'll see each other again soon. Ta ta!" With that, she lifted her hands and disappeared in a cloud of purple.

The silence that settled over them then was beyond deafening. Blood was roaring in Regina's ears, and Emma and Henry were looking at her warily. There they stood, on the porch in freezing weather at almost two in the morning, and none of them could think of a single thing to say.

 _You'll never have a happy ending because you'll never have what you really want._

The Queen's words echoed in Regina's ears. She didn't want Emma. The Queen was trying to throw her off, distract her. Nothing she'd said was true. Regina didn't want Emma.

She didn't want Emma Swan. She had loved Robin with every fiber of her being.

Hadn't she?

That was the last thought she had before her head started to swim. She felt her legs give out, and the last thing she saw before losing consciousness was the ground rising up to meet her.


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Sorry I went all weekend without an update. Life got in the way. This chapter is kind of slow and small, I'll get the ball rolling with the next one, which I'm already working on. Also, I'm uploading this onto AO3 for those that prefer reading it there. So, just a heads up. Hope you all like it!_

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Emma saw Regina sway and rushed forward, catching her before she hit the ground. Struggling a bit under the dead weight, Emma said to Henry, "I need to get her inside." Henry nodded and moved to help Emma gather Regina off the cold ground and into her arms, bridal-style. Henry opened the back door for her, and she gingerly carried Regina through it and into the living room where she laid her down on the couch. She studied Regina's unconscious face for a moment, taking in the woman as she never had before: the dark lashes, her lipstick-stained mouth, the tantalizing scar just above her upper lip…

"Ma?" Henry asked shakily, kneeling down beside her and laying a hand on Regina's arm, "Is she okay?" Emma nodded quickly and reassured him, "Yeah, Henry. She's just…been through a lot tonight. Will you sit with her while I go make a cup of hot chocolate for when she wakes up?" Henry agreed and sat on the couch next to his unconscious mother, watching her carefully, as Emma made her way into the kitchen to busy herself with the hot chocolate. As she prepared the drink, she let her thoughts take over.

She had been sitting on the couch, letting Regina get some air and waiting for her to get back. She knew how important getting away was, that sometimes that's what you needed to do to process things. She'd been sitting there, twiddling her thumbs, when she'd heard the muffled voices on the porch. She'd rushed to investigate things, and what she'd seen when she'd ran outside had stolen her breath: _Herself_ , holding Regina from behind and…and _cupping_ her intimately in places Emma's hand should _never_ go. Regina had had tears in her eyes. Emma couldn't figure out what the hell had been happening, She knew that it was the Queen in disguise again, but _why_ had she chosen Emma's visage? _Why_ was she holding Regina that way, and _WHY_ hadn't Regina already blasted her to oblivion? Emma, the real Emma, would have _never_ gotten away with that.

" _How could you_ possibly _want this pathetic woman?"_ The Queen had asked Emma. Emma furrowed her brow as she walked to the refrigerator to get out the whipped cream. _I don't want Regina. Not…that way. What was she talking about?_

Emma shook off all the thoughts and decided that the Queen was playing mind games to throw Emma and Regina off. That's all it was. Regina had been too shocked and disgusted at fake-Emma's advances to fireball her. That's it.

"Ma! She's awake!" she heard Henry call from the living room. Emma quickly topped the hot chocolate with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, and hurried back to join them. Regina was sitting up on the couch, a warm (albeit shaky) smile on her face as she gratefully accepted the warm mug from Emma. "Thank you," she said. She glanced down at the drink and remarked, "Cinnamon?"

Emma wanted to hit herself. "Yeah, I'm sorry….I was on automatic. It's how I take mine. I wasn't even thinking." To her surprise, Regina didn't make a comment on her childish tastes, instead she brought the mug up to her lips and inhaled before taking a small sip. "It isn't terrible, Emma," she said, shooting a genuine smile at her. "Thank you."

Emma eased down onto the couch beside her, trying to fight off the warmth the compliment had brought to her cheeks. "Are you okay?" she asked lowly. Henry was sitting silently on the other side of Regina, watching his mothers carefully. Regina shook her head violently, almost sloshing her drink. "Don't ask me that," she said, her smile fading away. " _She_ asked me that…before…"

 _Oh. Shit._ Another unbidden image of her own hands between Regina's breasts, _rubbing between her legs_ , sprang to the forefront of her mind before she pushed it away violently.

"O-okay," Emma stuttered. "You're not okay. I know you're not. What can I do to help? Do you want to talk about it?"

Regina took another sip and cast Henry a glance. "No. I don't. We need to cover the mirrors, Emma," she whispered. "She's using the mirrors to spy on us, she has to be. She knew too much of our conversation, too much of what's been going on tonight. We have to cover what we can and take down the rest."

Emma and Henry jumped up immediately to do as she said. Together, they grabbed blankets and sheets from the cabinets and threw them over each mirror in the house. The tiny hall mirrors, they took down and wrapped them up in a blanket, shoving them under the bed in the guest bedroom. When they were done, they walked back to the living room where Regina was shakily beginning to stand, having drank her cup of cocoa. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "I'm really out of sorts at the moment." Emma rushed forward and grabbed the cup out of her hands. "No, don't worry about it. I've got it. The mirrors are covered and the smaller ones are under the guest room bed. I'll take the cup to the sink." She then did just that, rinsing it out before leaving it in the sink. When she rejoined Henry and Regina, they were sharing a hug. "It's okay, Mom," he was saying to her. "We're here for you. Everything is going to be fine."

Regina pulled back after a moment and put on her "mom" face. "I know, Henry. Thank you. Now, it's really late, and you need your rest. I don't think _she_ will be bothering us or anyone again tonight. She's a thinker, a planner. She won't make her intentions known yet." Henry looked reluctant. "I don't want to leave you alone, Mom. Maybe we could camp out in the living room?" Regina was clearly about to argue, probably to say something like "I'll be fine" or some other nonsense, so Emma jumped in almost without thinking. "I could stay." Regina sent her a shocked look and Henry's face lit up. "Yeah!" he said. "Mom, can she stay to help watch over you-us?"

Regina's eyes had locked with Emma's, and Emma was growing uncomfortable seeing the unknown emotion behind the scrutiny. She quickly clarified, "I mean, I can sleep in the guest room, or down here on the couch, but I'll be here. If you allow me, that is."

Regina nodded tightly after a moment of hesitation. "Of course, Emma," she said. They all stood there, awkwardly, until finally Henry said, "Ookay. I'm going to bed now, goodnight moms." He hugged them both and then bounded up the stairs. After another moment of awkward silence, Regina finally said, "I do think sleep will be best for us all. You're welcome to the guest room."

Emma nodded in acquiescence and together they climbed the stairs. When Emma stopped at the guest bedroom, she turned the knob to let herself in and then found Regina's arm stopping her. "What-?"

"You put the mirrors up under the bed in there."

"Yeah?"

Regina looked uncomfortable. "I have a chaise lounge in my room. It's not as comfortable as the bed, but I…"

Emma understood. Regina _really_ didn't want to be alone. "Yeah, I can do that, if you don't mind me being in your…space." She'd never been in Regina's room before. Henry had taken care of the mirrors in there.

Emma followed Regina to the master bedroom, feeling a slight fluttering in her stomach. She was anxious and excited to finally be allowed into Regina's personal area of the house. Regina let them into her room and turned on the light. Emma took a moment to look around. Everything about this room screamed "Regina." The color scheme, the queen-sized bed, the chaise lounge along the wall, everything was lush and regal and so…Regina.

Regina pulled out a silk nightgown from her chest of drawers and turned to Emma with red cheeks. "I'm going to change. You're welcome to borrow some sleepwear, if you want."

 _No_. Emma couldn't handle it. It was one thing to borrow Regina's shirts in moments of necessity, but it was way beyond her comfort zone to borrow the clothes Regina slept in. "I'm, uh, I'm good," Emma said quickly. "I usually sleep in my tanks and underwear, so…" she trailed off, wondering how much weirder tonight was going to feel before they both cracked.

Regina nodded and breezed into the bathroom without a word. Emma took a pillow (there was like twenty of them, Regina wouldn't miss _one_ ) and grabbed the extra blanket at the foot of the bed, and sat down to wait for the bathroom. Regina emerged a moment later, thankfully wearing her robe. Emma didn't realize she was staring until after Regina had climbed into bed, robe still on, and was looking at her with confusion. "Emma?" she questioned softly. Emma quickly looked away and said, "I'm just gonna…use the bathroom, if that's okay." Regina nodded and began to situate herself in the bed. Emma speed-walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her and leaning on it for a moment, taking in the new surroundings. There was a spa tub in here. Of course there was. Regina was definitely the type to take long, relaxing baths with a glass of cider and a secret stash of chocolate. A wall of covered mirrors, a gigantic sink and a large granite shower with _two_ spouts. Naturally. She could imagine Regina in that shower, soaking up the steam and comfort the two spouts provided, the water running down her lithe body and washing away her worries… _Ugh, what? Stop thinking about that!_ The Queen had her head jumbled, that was for sure. That was enough of that.

Emma walked to the sink and splashed water on her face, before quietly ruffling through the drawers until she found Regina's toothpaste. Quickly she put a dab of toothpaste on her finger and scrubbed it over her teeth. It wasn't the best, but it would have to do because _no way_ was Emma asking if Regina had a spare toothbrush. This whole night was weird, and Emma was tired of weird. Asking for a toothbrush shouldn't feel like such a worrisome request, but here she was.

After rinsing her hands and mouth she walked out of the bathroom, turning out the light as she went. Regina had turned off the overhead light and now the room was illuminated dimly by her bedside lamp. She had removed her robe and laid it on the foot of the bed, and was covered up to her chin. Emma shot her what she hoped was a reassuring smile and walked to the chaise lounge, where she made sure Regina was looking away before divesting herself of her jeans. Her underwear was still uncomfortably sticky from the earlier encounter with the Queen, but she ignored it completely. She hadn't had that reaction because she'd _wanted_ to, after all. It was the stress.

When she laid down and covered herself, Regina turned out the lamp and they lay in the darkness for a minute before Emma said, "Thanks for letting me stay."

"Of course, Emma."

 _Deep breath, Emma._ "Do you want to talk about…about what I saw when I walked outside?"

"Do you want to talk about what happened with Hook tonight?" Regina's response was quick and biting. She wasn't going to talk unless Emma talked. Thank God. Emma definitely wasn't ready to talk about Hook, and she wasn't at all sure she was ready to hear what Regina had to say, now that she thought about it. Finding herself with nothing else to willingly give, she whispered, "She's playing games, Regina. Don't let her get into your head."

Regina didn't say anything for a long, long, agonizing moment. When she spoke, her voice was timid and small, and the sound of it mixed with the words that came next chilled her to the bone. "She's already in my head, Emma. Deeply. Deeper even than I want to admit. And she always has been."


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning was rough, to put it lightly. Emma awoke at sunrise, after getting only a few hours of sleep, and she felt terrible. After Regina's last statement, neither of them had talked. They'd laid there in the dark, filled with questions they didn't want to ask or hear the answers to. Emma tried to use the time to process everything that had happened that night, from her episode with Killian, to her incident with the Evil Queen, to their combined confrontation with the aforementioned villain. Nothing was making sense, and the more Emma thought about it, the more confused and upset she got. Finally, Emma had heard Regina's breathing even out, and then and only then had she been able to push all her thoughts aside and sleep.

She turned her head and was surprised to see Regina's bed empty and perfectly made. Sitting up quickly, Emma looked around the room. Regina was nowhere to be found. Emma threw the covers off herself and pulled her jeans on. Where was Regina?

Quietly as not to wake their surely-still-sleeping son, Emma made her way down the hall. When she reached the top of the stairs, the smell of strong coffee hit her nostrils. Breathing it in and then sighing deeply, Emma forced her worry down. Regina was fine.

Emma plodded her way down the stairs and into the kitchen, where she saw Regina sitting at the small breakfast nook, staring out the window into her garden. The first morning rays were peeking through the foliage, giving the garden an ethereal look.

"Beautiful," Emma breathed. Then she immediately felt bad, because it was obvious Regina hadn't heard her come in (which, _how?_ She'd been practically stomping) and started badly, sending her coffee mug and its contents to the floor. "Shit, Regina!" Emma hissed, "I'm so sorry!"

Regina shook her head and with a wave of her hand, the mess disappeared and the mug was repaired and back on the table. "It's all right, Emma. It was my fault. I was…" she trailed off, biting her lip.

"Lost in thought?" Emma finished for her, grabbing the coffee pot and refilling Regina's mug. Regina thanked her and then affirmed, "Yes."

Emma grabbed her own cup of coffee (with _lots_ of cream and sugar, unlike Regina) and joined Regina at the table. Together, they stared out the window in silence, and for a moment, all was right with the world. It was a peaceful, calm morning. The leaves were starting to change colors, and the sunlight illuminated all the red, yellow and green hues. Emma was sitting with Regina, in her quiet kitchen, and once again Emma didn't want the moment to end. But it was bound to.

"You didn't sleep long," Regina said softly. Emma took a sip of her coffee and hummed in affirmation. "A few hours, I guess. You were up way before me."

"Yes."

"Nightmares?"

"Hmm-mm." Regina shook her head. "No. Not exactly." But that was all the information she offered before turning back to stare out the window. "This is one of my favorite views in all the realms."

Emma took in the view before her. Regina's face was clean of makeup and her hair was slightly damp and curling at the ends. Apparently she had showered before Emma awoke. Her face was calm, but Emma could see the turmoil in her eyes. The vein in her forehead was prominent, meaning she was way more stressed than she was displaying. The sunlight was starting to reach into the room, and Regina's olive skin glowed in the soft light. "You're beautiful too, you know," Emma blurted without thought. Regina's eyes grew wide as she turned her head to gape at Emma. "What?" she laughed nervously. Emma shook her head violently. "I mean, I just…this is the first time I've really seen, well, _you._ I've stayed over a couple times but by the time I'm up the next morning, you're already in your power suit or cocktail dress and immaculate makeup, bustling around the kitchen making breakfast like some Stepford mom.. I like seeing early-in-the-morning Regina, the woman that no one but maybe Henry gets to see. It makes you seem more real. More human. More relatable. To me." Emma realized that she was rambling and effectively shut herself up by swallowing a huge gulp of coffee. Then, with a smirk, she teased, "Like you don't know you're beautiful, come on."

Regina was still staring at Emma, mouth slightly agape, her eyes glittering with an emotion Emma couldn't name. "Close your mouth, Gina, you'll catch flies," Emma teased again, hoping for _some_ kind of reaction before her face melted off with embarrassment. And finally, Regina reacted. She closed her mouth so quick her teeth clicked together, and Emma saw the muscles in her jaw working as it tensed.

A few seconds of silence, and then Regina flicked her wrist and a small bottle filled with pink liquid appeared in a plume of magic. She pulled the stopper and added a few drops to her coffee. She then reached over to add it to Emma's, but Emma's hand covered her mug and she asked, "What's that? You're not giving me some type of truth serum, are you?"

Regina laughed softly. "No, do you need one?" she teased. "This is a little concoction that will, shall we say, kickstart our day. I keep it on reserve for when I'm running on too little sleep." At Emma's obviously confused look, she rolled her eyes. "It's an energy potion. It'll wake you up, make you feel like you've gotten a full 8 hours of rest. Trust me, Emma." Emma eyed the bottle for a moment longer before removing her hand. Smirking at her small victory, Regina added a few drops to Emma's drink, then replaced the stopper and _poofed_ the bottle back to where it came from.

Upon Emma's very next sip, she immediately felt better. She was waking up faster, and her body hurt a little less than it did. Eagerly, she drank more.

Regina watched her quietly for a moment and then whispered, "What happened with you and Hook last night?"

It was so random, so jarring, that for a second Emma was dumbfounded.

Then she wanted to run.

 _No, no, don't do this, Regina. Don't ruin this. We always have these good moments and then one of us_ ruins _them._

But Regina was looking at her with concerned eyes, mouth turned down slightly at the corners, her posture not at all threatening or expecting. She was asking as a friend. Of all the questions she must have right now about her own problems, her own turmoil, she wanted to know about Emma's. Emma wanted to run, but she also saw that Regina was _still_ trying to be her friend in this rare quiet moment, despite everything.

With a resigned sigh, Emma slouched against the back of her chair and looked away from those open, inquisitive doe eyes that she still couldn't look at for long, staring once more out the window. "I panicked."

"You panicked?"

"Yes! Everything was fine. We got home. We started…we went to the bedroom. Regina, why do you want to know?"

Regina's jaw muscles worked strongly again before she explained, "You didn't look good. You haven't looked good for awhile and with every passing day, you're slipping away more. Hook, as your…lover, should be causing a glow to your skin, a light behind your eyes. Instead, everything that's… _Emma Swan_ …is being snuffed out. I want to know because I look at you and I see someone who's lost. I want to help. If that means listening about Hook's prowess in the bedroom, then so be it."

Emma was shocked at the rarely direct answer. Regina really did care. And yet… "So I call you beautiful and you basically tell me I look like shit?"

" _Emma._ "

Right. No deflection. Open and honest. Communication. Emma could do that.

"I felt suffocated. Everything about what was happening felt wrong. I don't know how to explain it past that. I stopped him before it got too far and he got angry and left."

Regina's brow furrowed. "He got _angry?_ " she snarled. "What, like your body is a favor owed?" Emma held up a hand and quickly responded, "No, no, he just doesn't understand, and neither do I, why I'm still not ready to move forward in our relationship together. You can't blame him, Regina."

Regina's face was cold as stone now as she snapped, "I can blame him for _any damn thing_ I want. It doesn't matter if he doesn't understand why, he has no damn right to get angry at you over it."

"What, like you got angry at Graham because the curse was weakening on him, so you crushed his heart?"

 _Shit._

"Regina, I'm…"

Regina had stood up, clearly done reaching out. "Leave. Go back to your _oh so chivalrous_ pirate."

Emma was mentally kicking herself in the damn _teeth,_ if she could just get Regina to _listen_ , "Regina! Stop! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say that." She wasn't even sure if that had been what _happened_ , it was just a _theory_. Why had she gotten so defensive and ruined everything, once again? _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

Regina stepped up into Emma's personal space, her eyes alight with hurt and rage and her teeth gritted together in a full on snarl. "Yes, I had possession of his heart, and I crushed it. Is that what you want to hear? It's true."

Emma backed up a couple of steps, but Regina just crowded closer. "The curse was weakening. He was getting his memory back. He was connecting with _you_ , and he was _mine_ to do with as I pleased. So I crushed it without hesitation. He was nothing to me, in the grand scheme of things."

Emma had always known it, deep down, that that had been what had happened. In truth, while she had been initially disgusted by Graham and Regina's _arrangement,_ and later what she had figured to be true from learning about hearts and curses and Evil Queens and saviors, she didn't blame Regina anymore. It was the past, she'd spent years proving that she could be better, and she _had_ been better. Emma's defenses had gone up when Regina had pressed on in her anger with Killian, and Emma had felt cornered once again. It was her job to stick up for Killian, wasn't it?

 _It's also your job to be there for Regina, and let her be there for you. That's what friends do and you just threw her past in her face,_ said a niggling voice in her head. Once again, Emma had proved that she wasn't a very good friend, at all. And what was happening right now, this threatening image that Regina was trying to display, was the woman's way of expressing just how very, very guilty she felt, and how alone she thought she was. Emma's expression softened. "Regina.."

"You've overstayed your welcome, _Miss Swan._ Get. Out."

Without another word, Emma did as she was told.

This back and forth with Regina was getting _old._ Were they friends or were they not? Were things ever going to change?

 _A/N: Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I gave a little bit of fluff and then I went and stepped in more angst. I'm horrible._


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Whew. This chapter was a beast, and so fun and painful to write. The story is moving forward! Enjoy!_

Regina was furious. Not with Emma Swan, however. She was furious with _herself._

She had fallen for the Evil Queen's tricks last night. She should have known it wasn't Emma on the porch with her, and she _definitely_ should have known it by the time she was being molested.

Regina had felt so weak, so stupid, so lost that she'd practically begged Emma to sleep in her room last night. And Emma had understood and done so.

Regina hadn't slept but an hour or so. The second she drifted off to sleep, she dreamed of Robin, his eyes, his body, his kisses. Before long his visage had been replaced with images of blonde hair, piercing green eyes, a softer body and pale hands in places they didn't belong, bringing her pleasure she sure as hell didn't deserve. She'd woken from the dream with a start, and instantly felt sticky from sweat and arousal, and had given up on trying to rest.

Regina had glanced over at the savior on her chaise lounge and, after making sure she was well and truly asleep, snuck off to the bathroom for a shower. She'd stepped into the warm spray, feeling her skin tingling and an ache deep in her core. She'd washed her hair and had run soapy hands down her breasts and belly before she was over trying to fight the feeling of tension. Making sure to keep her mind blank-because she sure as hell didn't want to _think_ -she had let her hand descend to the soaked and swollen folds at the apex of her thighs, biting her lip to keep quiet because _Emma was just beyond the closed door,_ as she worked out a quick, guilty, unsatisfying orgasm that had only made the tension worse. Giving up, she'd finished washing and hurried to dry and dress and go make coffee before the sunrise.

She _had_ been lost in thought when Emma had startled her into spilling her coffee everywhere. She'd been staring into her garden, thinking about what the Queen had said. _This is why Robin's death isn't affecting you like it should. You never wanted him, not really. You felt obligated to want him because of a ridiculous tattoo and some fairy dust._ Regina had tried to dismiss it as mind games, but she knew, deep down, that the Queen was right. Robin had never challenged her, just accepted what little she'd had to offer. They'd had nothing in common, and his involvement with Regina had ruined his life and then ended it. Regina couldn't help but think that if they'd truly been soul mates, it wouldn't have been so hard and ended so tragically.

The Queen had also claimed that Regina wanted Emma. It was true, in the past Regina had felt a connection with the blonde, but she'd blamed it on their many times of sharing magic and saving the town and each other. They were friends, after a long and bumpy road. Did that mean she _wanted_ her? Regina still wasn't sure if that part of the Queen's message was true, even after the dream she'd just had. It could have been just a vision brought up from the events of the night.

And that's when her coffee had gone flying at the sound of Emma's voice.

And then Emma had called her beautiful. Regina's heart had started to pound in her chest, and that was when she'd realized that yes, _yes,_ for some unknown reason she wanted more than just friendship from Emma, and that realization threw her entire world upside down and made her instantly nauseous. The Queen had been right.

So, desperately, looking for some kind of answers, looking for some kind of sign, she'd asked again about Hook. Big mistake. Emma was still very much in love with the pirate, to the point she was excusing his behavior and blaming herself. That had enraged Regina into pressing the issue further, and then it had come out.

Emma knew what she'd done to Graham. Regina had never admitted it aloud, to anyone, until Emma's accusing statement. And after she'd done so, Regina knew their friendship had taken a huge step back. Regina had closed off, in a blind rage at herself and her past and the things she'd done to Emma and all the others that she now cared about. Emma had _known_ what she'd done and had ignored it only to throw it in Regina's face when it was convenient. Regina felt betrayed and alone, and rather than show that weakness, she'd pulled up a part of her that was supposed to be no longer present and forced the blonde from her house.

Now she stood, alone, in her kitchen, breathing heavily and trembling from head to toe. The Queen was right. Regina had never loved Robin. She wanted Emma Swan, but it was so much more than that. That was why everything had felt weird for awhile now. That was why Emma's disgusted face at her earlier admission hurt so much. Regina felt _too much_ for the savior, had wanted to save her and protect her and follow her to hell at the risk of her own happiness, because she _loved her._

She was in love with Emma Swan, and that knowledge was turning her stomach and making her doubt every truth she thought she knew about herself.

She was _in love_ with Emma, and her evil, split counterpart had driven her to realizing it. She collapsed to her knees in a fit of hysteric laughter.

Life was a _bitch._

Regina had pulled herself together (at least on the outside) by the time Henry awoke, having dressed and made herself up and prepared breakfast, being the "Stepford mom" that Emma had teased her that she was. Now, she and Henry were making their way down main street, headed for the diner.

The second they entered Granny's, Regina's breath left her in a _whoosh_ of air as her eyes fell on the scene before her. All of the regular patrons were frozen in their seats, staring at a booth that contained Snow, David, Zelena, their babies, and…The Evil Queen.

It should have been comical. Hell, it practically _was_. Snow and David were ashen-faced, holding their child tightly to them, and Zelena's face held a comically shocked expression as the Evil Queen held baby Robin, rocking her calmly and singing a lullaby. Granny, it appeared, had been literally frozen magically in place with her finger on the trigger of her crossbow.

Throwing on a stoic façade to hide the horror she felt, she moved between Henry and the scene in front of them before saying, "Now _what_ is going on here?"

The Queen looked over her shoulder with a wide grin. "Regina! How nice to see you, dear. Hello, my prince," she added as she peered around to see Henry. "I just thought I'd join our _nice_ little family for breakfast. Robin is really such a doll, and she loves her auntie, yes she does," she crooned to the baby in her arms.

"What do you want with us?" Snow cried, apparently finding her voice. The Queen turned to glare at her. "I want what I've always wanted, _Snow White._ Your head on a platter."

David stood from the booth immediately, drawing his gun and pointing it at the Queen's head, which resulted in Snow, Zelena and Regina all screaming, "David, _no!"_

"She's holding my baby, you absolute buffoon!" Zelena added hysterically, springing up from her seat to step between the gun and its intended victim. David looked guilty and lowered the gun, but looked no less ready to defend his family from the threat. The Queen was cackling loudly at the scene she'd caused with her simple words. Regina balled her fists and gritted her teeth. "I don't want that anymore. Not even when you were part of me did I want it."

Standing up, still holding the baby in her arms, the Queen faced her counterpart with a smirk. "Oh, I know," she purred. "But you ripped us apart and tried to throw me away like yesterday's garbage. Like I was _nothing!"_

Baby Robin began to cry, and Zelena reached for her helplessly. The Queen caved into her desperate look, handing the baby back before magicking away David's gun. Turning back to Regina, she growled, "I'm _everything_ , Regina. _You're_ the one who is nothing without me. I want to hurt you, like you hurt me. And if that means finally getting my revenge without my _conscience_ in the way, well then, I call that a win-win. Wouldn't you say?" Regina grabbed her by the shoulders in a sudden show of strength blind rage and sent her sprawling to the floor of the diner. People were scurrying now, finally finding their feet and rushing out the door. David and Snow grabbed Henry ("Wait, _no,_ we can't leave her alone!" he protested to deaf ears) and followed the rest. Zelena magicked herself and her baby away, probably back to their cabin in the woods, and soon the diner was empty, leaving no one but Granny (still unfortunately frozen), Regina, and an Evil Queen who was still lying on the floor, cackling maniacally. Regina snarled at her, throwing her own body on top of her, straddling her hips and wrapping her hands around her neck. "You stay the hell away from my family or I swear I will _rip you to shreds!_ " She screamed. The Queen struggled for breath under the crushing weight of Regina's hands, though a grin was still plastered on her face. She reached up and grabbed Regina around the throat as well, squeezing just as hard. As Regina choked from the sudden lack of air, the Queen began to buck her hips against her, and her eyes started to roll. " _Yesss,_ " she ground out, " _There you are,_ Reginaaa." She moved again, her hips connecting with Regina's center, and Regina growled and pressed harder on her throat. "Ohh," she grunted, her voice now barely escaping her crushed throat.

Regina felt the betraying coil of her still unspent lust begin to settle in her stomach from this strangely erotic display of hatred, and desperately she tried to tamp it down as her vision began to blur and her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. The harder she squeezed, the harder the Queen squeezed, and the only thing on Regina's mind was killing her counterpart before she passed out.

" _Regina!"_

Blood was roaring in her ears, but she distinctly heard the sound of Emma's frantic voice and then felt hands prying her off the Queen. " _No!"_ she screamed as she felt her hands being pried away from the fragile throat beneath them and her own throat was released, allowing precious oxygen to flow again down her strained airways. " _NO, EMMA, SHE HAS TO DIE!"_

Strong, sure arms held her tight from behind and Regina saw the Queen, still lying on the ground, hands holding her own throat and massaging the damaged area. "Ohh, Regina," she wheezed. "We always _did_ like it rougghhh, didn't we?" She laughed again, her voice hoarse, before she threw her hands up and magicked herself away.

Regina screamed and screamed, surging back against the body holding her tightly and then falling to the floor, bringing Emma down with her. She screamed all the rage, all the regret, all the frustration she felt over _everything_ until she found her voice had left her, and as she came back to herself she registered the comforting body of Emma was still behind her, one arm crossed over her clavicle and the other around her stomach, cradling, holding, not backing off. The position was so similar to the way the Queen had held her that Regina's stomach pitched and her head swam, but she couldn't and didn't want to fight her off. Instead, she covered Emma's arms with her hands and began to wail hoarsely, burning tears falling from her eyes. Together they sat on their knees on the cold floor of Granny's diner, Emma murmuring, "It's okay. Regina, I've got you. I've got you. It's okay," over and over again in a soothing voice.

Eventually, the tears slowed and Regina pulled away, unable to bear the press of Emma's body behind her a second longer. Everything ached, her throat and emotions felt raw, and now they had an incredibly important job to do. Turning on her knees to face Emma, she tried to not let herself be rattled by the pale, worried face of the woman she fucking _loved_ , and all that had transpired earlier that morning was gone from her mind. She had chased Emma from her home and yet here she was, running to Regina's aid once again without thought. Massaging her throat, she croaked, "We have to pay Hyde a visit. We have to figure out how to stop her."


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: Have I mentioned before that I own none of this? If not, Disclaimer: Once isn't mine! Obviously. I'm merely borrowing the characters, some scenes and stuff and having some fun. Anyway, now that that's out of the way, here's the next chapter. Thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed! You all are awesome!_

 _SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ_

"What do you mean, he's _gone?"_ Emma all but screeched at the orderly when they arrived at the hospital.

"I'm sorry…I went to give him his breakfast and the door was open, the cuffs were sitting on the bed…"

Regina pinched the bridge of her nose. "The cuffs." The orderly looked terrified as she replied, "Yes. I have them here." She reached behind her desk and pulled out the heavy restraints that Jekyll had made for his counterpart. Regina took them from her, and Emma surged forward and slammed her hands on the desk. "How the hell did he get out? Who took the cuffs off? Don't you guys have surveillance, guards, something?"

The orderly nodded, her face ashen, "The security guard wasn't here this morning. I don't know why, and he hasn't called in. And yeah, I can pull up the security cameras." She sent Regina another terrified look and then typed into her computer before turning the screen around and showing the surveillance footage.

Regina and Emma leaned in to see the footage, which showed the empty corridor outside Hyde's cell. As they watched, the door opened and he strode out, followed by an all-too-familiar figure: The Evil Queen. Slowly, they both turned to stare into the security camera, and the Queen blew a kiss to it before she and Hyde disappeared in the trademark purple cloud.

"Shit!" Emma yelled, turning away from the computer and punching the wall behind her before storming out the door.

Befuddled, Regina followed her. "Emma!" she cried hoarsely, her voice still damaged. "Emma, wait!" As they left the hospital and entered the cool mid-morning air outside, Regina caught up to Emma and grabbed her arm. Emma spun around, breathing heavily, and yelled, "She's out there, and now she's got Hyde with her, and she's going after my parents! Hyde's probably going back to whatever plans he had for the untold stories. Don't _fucking_ tell me to wait, Regina."

Regina's temper flared. "You're the one who pulled me off of her, Emma! _You_ stopped me from killing her!"

Emma stepped closer, eyes wild, before growling, "I was _saving you!_ Your face was purple, Regina." Regina crowded closer. "I was going to win. She would have died before me."

"You don't know that!"

Suddenly a voice interrupted their argument: "Uh, Moms?"

They both turned to see Henry, David, Snow, Jekyll, and Hook, staring at them. It was only then that Regina noticed how close she'd been standing to Emma, and Emma seemed to notice at the same time and they both stepped back into a respectable distance. "Henry," Emma cried, gathering him to her. "You're not allowed to go anywhere alone right now," she ordered adamantly. "You're to stay with me or your mother at all times. Do you understand?"

As Henry was nodded, wide-eyed, Regina took offense. "You really think that _any_ form of me would hurt my son?" she asked. Emma rolled her eyes. "In case you've already forgotten, the Evil Queen isn't our only worry anymore. I don't think she'd hurt Henry, but I _know_ Hyde would."

 _Oh, DUH._ "Right," Regina mumbled, contrite. "You're right."

"Wait!" Jekyll cried. "Hyde? He got free?"

Emma turned to him and said, "Regina's evil half freed him."

"So it's true?" Hook demanded. "There's _two_ of her wandering around now?"

"Shove it, pirate." Regina spat.

Emma turned to Jekyll. "We need to talk to you, right now."

"Somewhere without mirrors," Regina added, turning away from Hook and back to the people that mattered.

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They all went back to Regina's house, where Regina closed the door and threw up about 10 protection charms before they all settled around the large dining room table. Immediately, Emma said to Jekyll, "How do we stop them? Regina crushed the Evil Queen's heart when they split. We thought she was gone. Why didn't killing her work?"

Jekyll was trembling, and he stuttered, "I-I don't know. M-my formula, it…it's unpredictable at b-best, and strong. I still haven't worked out w-why it works the way it does. If I knew how to stop Hyde, don't you think I'd have done it by now? The device I made, that's the-the only way I know of subduing them. Our dark halves are strong. T-too strong."

Hook scoffed. "Hyde won't fall for those tricks again, and likely by now he's started informing the Evil Queen about the device."

"Right," Snow agreed. "And the Queen could just… _poof_ it away when we try to use it again."

David turned to Emma. "What about the magic-blocking cuff, like we used on Zelena?"

Regina shook her head and answered before Emma could. "Zelena cut her own hand off to be rid of the cuff. The Queen is stronger without her conscience, without _me_. She wouldn't hesitate to do the same."

"We need more manpower," Emma said. "We need Zelena, and we need Maleficent and Lily, if they'll help. Do you know where they're staying?"

Regina nodded. "Yes…I've provided them with a large house in the woods…so they can get to know each other. Only problem is, I don't know if they'll help us. Last I knew, Lily still had a large amount of hatred for Snow and David…she might be more inclined to help out the Queen."

Emma sighed, dropping her face into her hands. "We can at least try to go talk to them" she suggested. They agreed, and then the discussion turned to Jekyll, Snow and David moving into the manor for the time being, under Regina's protection. David and Snow had argued, insisting they'd beat the Queen every time she'd made an attempt on their lives, but after Regina pointing out that she was somehow invincible _and_ had Hyde on her side, they agreed, and Snow sent a message by bird to the Blue Fairy, telling her to bring their son (who she was looking after again) to the manor. Emma told them she'd bring clothes and other necessities for each of them from the apartment, and then Henry brought up one last problem:

"What about the people from the Land of Untold Stories?"

That brought them all up short. They'd have to be alerted of the renewed danger, that was for sure, Regina knew, and voiced it aloud. Henry began to argue that he should be allowed to still help them, so Regina agreed. All together, they made a plan: Emma and Hook would make their way to Granny's (who the women had unfrozen before leaving the diner, and who had shot glares-and thankfully not arrows-at Regina while Emma explained why there were two Reginas, before returning to her business, crossbow ready and loaded behind the counter) and inform the newcomers to make their way to the safety of the manor one or two at a time, so that Henry could help them with their stories and encourage them to let them play out. The protection spells that Regina had put up wouldn't allow glamours past it, so the Queen couldn't disguise herself and sneak her way in. Snow and David would moderate, swords at the ready, in case the Queen had encouraged anyone to fulfill her wishes for her. Jekyll would remain behind as well, device at the ready in case Hyde managed to get inside. Regina would visit Zelena to implore her to aid them, and then Regina and Emma would go talk to Lily, and Maleficent. They all admitted that the plan was bad, that it had so many "what ifs" and holes, but it was the best they could come up with.

Finally, terrible plan in place, Emma, Hook, and Regina left the manor.

Emma walked beside Regina and said in a low voice, "I want to talk to you, too." Regina cast a glance back at Hook, who was glowering at her. "I don't think now is a good time," she said. "No, it isn't," Emma agreed, "but…later. I want to apologize for this morning…"

"What about this morning?" Hook interrupted.

"This is why now isn't a good time," Regina snapped, before transporting herself to Zelena's cabin and as far away from that awkward situation as she could.

Once Zelena let her inside, Regina was bombarded with a barrage of questions. "How is she back? I thought you killed her. Is she going to come after me? What are you going to do?" Holding up her hand to silence her sister, Regina began to answer her questions. "I have no idea, on any of it. I know she's strong, stronger than she ever was before."

"Because you're not part of her. She's purely evil now, isn't she?"

"In essence, yes," Regina sighed, sitting down at Zelena's table. "I don't know. I don't understand it."

Zelena's brows knit in concern as she sat across from her. "What do you mean?"

"It's just…I haven't told anyone this, so I'd advise you to keep this to yourself." At Zelena's nod of acquiescence, Regina continued, "Ever since I split with her, I've felt…incomplete. It was like a piece of myself was missing. And then last night, she showed up at the manor to taunt me, and you saw what happened at the diner. I wanted to kill her. I felt all the parts of me I thought were gone sort of…wake up. I was so angry. If that part of me is still inside of me, then maybe some of my other attributes are still part of her. I don't know. I'm so stupid, Zelena. I didn't think it through before splitting myself, and now I don't know how to fix the problem."

There was silence before Zelena said quietly, "I've been so angry with you, Regina." Regina's brows lifted in surprise. "Why?" she exclaimed. Zelena hung her head. "You split with your evil side. You got rid of a very big part of you, like it didn't matter. Like your past could just be left behind and forgotten. You've talked so much to me about making up for past mistakes, for accepting what I've done wrong and moving forward, being… _good._ And then you just leave that part behind. Do you know what that meant to me? That I couldn't move forward while still being myself, dealing with who I've been and what I've done. You're the biggest hypocrite, sis. And I'm angry."

Regina hung her head in shame. "Zelena," She whispered. Damn it, her sister was right. She'd never even thought…

"No, Regina, hear me out," Zelena continued. "You're a hypocrite, but it brings me great comfort to hear how you really feel about what you've done. In a way, I'm kind of glad she didn't die. It taught you a lesson, that you really _can't_ leave behind the parts of you that you regret being. You still have to deal with her. And with your careless decision to part with her, you now have to deal with her on more than just the inside. But you're my sister. Mother would want me to help you. That's why you're here, right?" Zelena guessed. At Regina's nod, Zelena sighed, resigned.

"I'm angry with you too," Regina blurted. At Zelena's confused, hurt look, she explained, "You stole Robin from me. You tricked him, deceived him, all to get a baby. You tried to ruin my life, and then you _did._ Your _flaming_ boyfriend snuffed out Robin's life in the blink of an eye. I…I blame you, Zelena."

"How can you blame me, solely, when Emma dragged you down to Hell to begin with?!" Zelena screeched. "She had as much part in his demise as I did, and yet you're still all buddy-buddy with her!"

"I _chose_ to go to Hell. Emma needed my help. She didn't shack up with Hades, _you_ did! You allowed him to leave the underworld and you followed him like a whipped puppy!"

"And in the end, _I_ chose to help you bring him down! I didn't kill Robin, he did! "

They glared at each other over the table for a long moment before Regina sighed, "You're trying to change. So am I. What you did is in the past, and eventually I'll forgive you. Right now, it's just…"

"New." Zelena said quietly. "Fresh. Raw."

"Yes."

"As is your most recent decision."

Another moment of silence passed before Zelena said, "I'll take little Robin to the Blue Fairy. She'll be safe with the fairies. And then, sis, I'll help you. Moving forward, right?"

"Moving forward," Regina agreed.


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: This fic has taken on a life of its own. Hook is NOT who I pictured having this conversation with Emma. But, here it is. Let me know if it works!_

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"So what was she talking about, Swan? What happened this morning?"

Emma rolled her eyes as they made their way to Granny's. "It's nothing, Killian. We had a bit of an argument when we woke up this morning." Realizing what she had just revealed, she clamped her mouth shut, but it was too late.

"When you…woke up this morning? You went over to hers after I left you? What the hell?" Killian was almost shouting now, and Emma stopped and turned to him. "Yes," she said. "I did. You see, when you left, the Queen showed up in my bedroom."

Killian's mouth dropped open, but before he could say anything, Emma went on. "She didn't hurt me, she pretended to be my- _our_ Regina. After a minute of talking with her, I realized who she was, and she poofed away. I called Regina immediately, and she had me meet her at the manor, where the Queen showed up again, to give some sort of message to Regina that I didn't hear. So I stayed over at Regina's to make sure we were both available to protect Henry if she came back."

Killian was frowning again. " _Your_ Regina?" he deadpanned. Emma growled. _Damn it, he caught that_. "Is that the only thing you got out of what I just told you? It slipped out, I'm having trouble trying to differentiate between _two_ of her, Killian. Obviously she isn't _mine_ , she doesn't belong to anyone." she began to walk again, but then Hook asked, "Do you _want_ her to belong to you?" Emma stopped dead in her tracks and whirled around. "What the hell does that mean?" she demanded.

"Think about it, Swan," Killian prompted, stepping closer to her. "Ever since I've known you, you've been going out of your way to be at her beck and call. She needs you, you drop everything."

"She's my friend!"

"Is she, Swan? She's on your mind all the time. You took on the Dark One curse for her, without even thinking of what it would do to you. You spend every Sunday morning at her house, for a _family_ breakfast, just you and her and Henry. You spend every moment that you should be spending with me, with her."

"Don't tell me you're jealous over nothing. My time is mine to spend how I want to, and she needs me. Obviously she's just my friend! I help her and I'm there for her because _somebody_ needs to be! She's trying to change, and I promised I'd help her get her happy ending."

"Did you bring her a happy ending when you dragged her to hell and got her soul mate killed trying to save me, Emma?"

Emma's mouth shut so hard her teeth clicked, sending pain through her jaw. "Don't," she ordered. _How dare he put that on me…_

"I'm just saying, the Regina I know would have never forgiven you if she blamed you for what happened. Why doesn't she blame you, Emma? Why does she still count on you, still welcome you into her home, when she knows what having you around means for her? She's falling in love with you, Swan."

She couldn't hear this. Emma turned on her heel and continued down the street, Killian chasing after her. "You might view her as a friend, Emma," he said, falling into pace with her. "But it's more than that. You dedicate your life to making her happy, and I only ever see her happy when you're around. She wants more than a _friendship_ with you and deep down, you know it and you feel something for her too."

"Shut up, Hook," Emma ground out. They'd reached Granny's diner, but Hook grabbed her arm before she could walk inside. "Swan. Stop," he commanded. "You can't sleep with me. Why?"

"Is this really a conversation we need to have right now?" Emma asked incredulously, looking around to make sure no one walking on the street had heard him. "We have more important things to worry about than your imagination running away with you."

"You can't give yourself to me because a larger part of you belongs to her, and she can't find happiness because you're with me."

"Enough, Killian!" Emma insisted. "You're coming up with the most ridiculous reasons you can to figure out why I couldn't _possibly_ want you. I do! I want to spend time with you. I want to…to be with you. I just _can't_ right now, with everything going on. When that moment finally happens, I want to be fully in the moment with you."

Killian seemed satisfied with that answer, and together they entered Granny's.

After delivering the message to Granny to give to the people of the Land of Untold Stories (since most of them were hiding away in their rooms after the events of that morning), Emma sent Regina a text saying _"Done. Meet me at Granny's so we can go talk with Mal and Lily._ "

While she waited for Regina to arrive, Emma sat at the bar and ordered a shot of whiskey. So what if it was just past noon? She needed a drink. Beside her, Killian ordered a shot of rum and they sat in silence. Emma kept hearing the words that Killian had spoken to her outside and she just couldn't wrap her mind around it. Regina wasn't falling in love with her, she was mourning her soul mate and counting on Emma's friendship and magic to fight the new threats. Yes, Regina was beautiful, sexy, and interesting, and strangely enough the closest thing Emma could call a best friend since she found out Mary Margaret was her mother, but Emma didn't _want_ her like that. They were friends. Was Killian really such a misogynist that he thought if Emma didn't want to have sex with him, that she was automatically gay? _Ugh._

As that thought crossed her mind, Killian piped up, "Lily."

Rolling her eyes, she groaned, "What about her?"

"Well, you've told me you met and became fast friends. Was it just a friendship, or was Lily your girlfriend?"

 _Really?!_ _So much for being satisfied with what I had to say._

"I knew Lily for a day before finding out she wasn't who I thought she was. She was barely a friend, Killian."

"But you had been attracted to her."

"Yes, okay?!" Emma whispered in admission, sick of his insinuations. "I was attracted to her. I cared for her. I'm attracted to Regina, how could I not be? Have you seen her? But I love _you._ I want to be with _you_. Isn't that enough?"

"It should be, shouldn't it?"

"Just a reminder," Granny yelled from across the diner, "I still have my wolf ears. Your conversation is strange enough without my hearing it. Go somewhere private next time."

Emma turned beet red in embarrassment. Great. Granny was a talker. The entire town would know that the Savior was bisexual by nightfall. _Not_ something she'd ever planned on anyone finding out.

"What conversation?" inquired Regina's velvet voice behind them.

Okay, Emma's face was going to melt off her skull. "Nothing," she said quickly, downing her shot and standing to face her friend. "Let's go."

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Together, they transported themselves to Mal's house in the woods. "Creepy," Emma commented as the large house loomed over them. It was dark, it was secluded, and it was totally _Maleficent._ "When did you conjure this up?" She asked Regina. Regina shrugged and replied, "Shortly before you took on the Dark curse."

They walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. Within a few minutes, Lily opened the door. "Emma, hey!" she said. "Haven't seen you in awhile. Heard a hell of a lot about your adventures though."

"Can we come in?" Regina interjected. Lily gave her a glare but opened the door wider to let them through. "Uh, sure. Mother's just in the other room. We were having lunch."

They entered the large house and followed Lily to the dining room. The décor was done in dark purples and golds, elegant, posh and creepy. Maleficent was sitting down, wiping her hands on a cloth. It was clear they'd just finished eating. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" she asked, looking between Regina and Emma.

Regina explained quickly what was going on, and when they were done, Lily was sitting with her mouth agape and Mal looked irritated. "Have you not learned your lesson, Regina? After all you've been through, you're still making careless decisions? I'm disappointed in you."

"All that aside," Emma spoke up, "We need more manpower. We came to ask for your help."

"To protect Snow White, her husband, and their spawn?" Lily asked angrily, getting over her shock. "I'd much rather snatch their baby out of their arms and send it through a portal."

"That's my parents you're talking about," Emma warned her.

"Yeah, and they ruined my life!"

"But you've been reunited with your mother and your story is moving forward," Regina said calmly. "We're not asking you to help protect them. We're asking you to help us bring down my double and Hyde. We need more…firepower, if you will _."_

At that, Lily's eyes lit up. "Dragons. You want dragons."

"Maybe, yes. And Mal, you're still one of the most powerful sorceresses I've ever known. Here's your chance to show your daughter what you can do."

Mal held up a finger, clicking her tongue against her teeth. "You're bribing me," she recognized. "Is it working?" Regina asked with a grin. Oh, she'd missed her friend, she really had.

But then she was reminded that her friend was as big a villain as she'd been when Mal said, "And what makes you think I'd help you when I could just offer my services to your counterpart? She sounds more…fun."

Regina gritted her teeth. "She is me, only more powerful and more dangerous. She's a threat to everyone without me being a part of her. I need your help subduing her. I'm going to ask Jekyll to make a potion to reverse the effects of the one that split us."

This was news to Emma. She knew Regina had been struggling with her split, but she hadn't known she was planning on reuniting with her evil self rather than killing her.

"I will help you," Maleficent decided. "But I want something in return when all of this is over."

"Name it," Emma said.

"You, Savior, have proven you're very good at finding people. My daughter wants to know who her father is. And since he was in dragon form when we met, I don't know who he is. I want your help finding him for her."

Finding a _dragon_? Emma was good, but she wasn't sure she was _that_ good.

"Done," Regina spoke for her, standing up. "Can we count on you too, Lily?" she asked, turning to the smaller brunette. "Of course," Lily said. "I've been wanting to roast something for awhile now. Mother's been teaching me some tricks."

Mal stood up and walked over to Regina, lifting a lock of her hair. "It's getting so long again," she purred. Emma began to feel uncomfortable. She and Lily exchanged a look.

"I've…been meaning to cut it. I liked it short."

"Mm. I did too," Mal said. "I'm sorry to hear about the death of your lover. Such an unfortunate thing. But, I'm always here if you need a coping mechanism when you reunite with your more _fun_ side. A warm body and a fun night, perhaps?"

 _Uh, whoa_ , Emma thought. She'd had her suspicions about Mal and Regina for some time, but Mal was just flat-out, publicly propositioning her.

" _Mother,_ " Lily reprimanded, looking a little green. Regina started, like she'd forgotten her surroundings, then gave Mal a small, seductive smile. Which, _WHOA._

"We'll see, Mal. Though I'm not sure it's such a good idea, we've been known to cause damage to small villages when we have that kind of…fun."

"Regina." Emma had had enough. This on top of everything else had her head spinning, and she looked down to see her hands shaking badly again. Regina glanced her way and noticed, immediately stepping away "Emma!" she said. "Are you all right?" she laid a hand on Emma's arm. Emma nodded, finding it suddenly hard to breathe. "Yeah. Uh, yeah. We just…we need to get going, you know? More things to do."

Emma looked up to thank Mal and Lily for their agreement, and found them both looking between her and Regina with knowing looks on their faces. "What?" she asked breathily.

" _We'll see_ , Regina," Mal mocked her. "Now I understand."

 _Understood what? What was going on?_

"Enough, Mal. Thank you for your help. I'll let you know when we need you and…we'll talk later."

 _About what?_

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After leaving Maleficent's house, Emma and Regina poofed to the apartment to gather some things for Snow, David and baby Neal. "Can I ask a question?" Emma asked as she walked over to Snow's closet, grabbing the suitcase out and beginning to rifle through her mother's dresser. "You can ask," Regina stated. "Okay," Emma began. "you and Mal…"

"We were lovers, once," Regina said bluntly, the words knocking the air out of Emma's lungs. "O-oh."

"It was volatile. She and I never made love, our copulation was rough and without feeling. We usually only did it when we were angry, or frustrated, or had a lot of magic built up that needed release. Hence my statement about damaging small villages."

"You guys literally fucked up a storm?" Emma said with a dry tongue, trying to laugh off the barrage of new information. Regina barked out a laugh as well. "You could say that, yes," she confirmed as she began to pack toys, clothes and diapers for Neal. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason, really," Emma said, trying not to look as she gathered up undergarments. "So, is that a normal thing in the Enchanted Forest?"

"Bisexuality?"

"Uh, yeah." Emma felt her face heating up. "I mean, Red found love with Dorothy, and it was like, no one blinked an eye. Everyone was just happy for her."

"Well, of course," Regina said, moving to the kitchenette to gather bottles and baby food. "Sexuality isn't a thing that's thought about. Same-sex marriages are usually left to the peasants though, as royal bloodlines must be continued down. But say a princess who prefers the company of other women is forced to marry a male. She can speak freely about it to her husband, and usually will be allowed to have a "servicewoman" of her choice when she isn't ovulating and unable to produce an heir at the moment. Same goes for a prince that prefers men."

Emma soaked up this information before saying, "It strange knowing that there are places that accept it for what it is. This world isn't like that."

"So I've heard," Regina said quietly. "Is that why you hide that part of you?"

 _Warning, warning, warning!_

"M-me? What makes you think I'm bisexual?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "You wear plaid."

"Plaid is stylish! And you don't wear plaid, that's nothing to go by!"

They both laughed as they finished packing. _Regina's so beautiful when she laughs,_ Emma found herself thinking. Sobering up, she walked over and laid a hand on Regina's arm. "Hey," she said. Regina's laughter died and she looked at Emma warily. Her hair fell over one eye and Emma reached up to tuck it behind her ear before she could stop herself. Regina's breath caught.

" _She's falling in love with you_." Hook's words came unbidden to her mind and Emma quickly dropped her hand. "I uh, I just wanted to apologize for this morning. I used your past against you and…you don't deserve that."

"I do, though," Regina said softly. "I've hurt a lot of people, killed a lot of people. And I've…I've hurt you."

"I also took Henry from you and chopped off a limb of your tree, accidentally made a deal with Gold to set fire to Town Hall and brought Zelena back in the form of your wife, ruining your happiness with Robin. And then…and then I got him killed." Emma finished in a whisper. Regina immediately grabbed her hands in her own and said, "No. No, _you_ didn't get him killed. You didn't force me to go with you to the Underworld. You had nothing to do with his death, Emma. Don't do this."

Relief flooded Emma at Regina's words, and she stared down at their clasped hands. Regina's hands were so soft…she glanced up into Regina's eyes, marveling again at how open and full of emotion they were.

 _She's falling in love with you._

Stepping back quickly and pulling her hands away, Emma continued, "Point being, we've both done things in the past we wish we could take back, or regret doing. You were trying to be my friend and once again I wasn't being a very good one. We've really got to stop doing this, this push-and-pull thing we do. We're friends."

Regina nodded. "Friends," she agreed. "Apology accepted, Miss Swan."

"Yeah, yours too."

"I didn't apologize."

"Didn't need to. I see you, Regina." With a smile, Emma turned back to finish packing and together they poofed back to the manor.

When they arrived, Emma saw that the newcomers had indeed gotten her message as there was a small group of people gathered around Henry at the dining room table, while Henry waved his pen over page after page of a story book, copying down the words he was hearing. David sat with him, overseeing, holding the baby in his lap, and Killian sat on the other side of him, probably having showed up shortly after Emma had left him in the diner. Snow was nowhere to be seen, but Emma could hear her rummaging around the kitchen. After they set down all of Snow and David's belongings along the wall, they walked into the kitchen to see Snow busying herself with making dinner. "Hi!" she said as she saw them. "I hope you don't mind, Regina. It's getting late so I figured I'd help myself to some things and make dinner for everyone, since you're being kind enough to let us stay here. And I figured that when Henry gets done with this group of people, we can all start planning our next move on the Queen and Hyde."

"Thank you, Snow," Regina said.

Emma looked around. Snow had hand-made pizza dough on the counter, and bowl after bowl of chopped toppings. "Pizza night?" she said energetically. "I'm down!" Snow laughed and said, "And you can help me. Wash your hands. Regina, do you want to go help Henry? I'd like to talk to my daughter for a moment."

Regina nodded and left the room to join Henry and David. As soon as she was gone, Snow asked "How did it go?" Emma nodded, washing her hands quickly and then joining her mother to help prepare the pizzas. "Good. Mal and Lily have agreed to help us come up with a plan."

"And Zelena?"

 _Shit._ "Uh, I don't know. I didn't ask. But Regina seems to be in an alright mood, so maybe she agreed too."

Snow lowered her voice. "How is Regina handling all this?" she asked. Emma sighed. "I don't think she's doing well. It's a lot. She lost her soul mate, then ripped herself apart, and now that's biting her in the ass."

"She's been through a lot. I ask because she seems to be fine, as long as you're around."

Well, that was a comforting thought. "I see it," Emma admitted. "She laughs more. She's opening up to me, talking to me more. She's strong, and if I'm helping her cope, then I'll continue to be here for her, gladly."

"You two have gotten very close," Snow said, moving on to top another pizza. "How's Hook handling sharing you?" She was trying to sound nonchalant, but Emma saw right through it. "What are you getting at, Mom? Has Hook said something to you?"

Snow at least had the decency to look guilty as she admitted, "He mentioned…something. It's something I've seen for awhile though, and I'm happy to know I'm not just seeing things."

"Like what?" Emma asked, dreading the answer.

"Regina cares for you. A lot. And you've been worrying about her, caring for her, for years. It's comforting to see that she can confide in you, and that you don't judge her for her past like we did. She's come a long way, and you've helped. And I wonder…" Snow trailed off, contemplating, before she blurted, "Do you love her?"

Alarm bells went off in Emma's head once more. "I-uh, I…"

"I mean, it's okay," Snow interrupted hurriedly. "It's okay if you do. I don't see her as my stepmother, not anymore. She's my friend. It's just, she was so heartbroken over Daniel that she spent _years_ trying to kill me. Robin's gone, and she's leaning on you for support. You're her rock, Emma. Recently, you gave up everything to save her from the Dark One's curse. And I'm just wondering what I've missed, when you two went from enemies, to friends, to something more."

"There's nothing more!" Emma hissed. "I'm going to kill Hook for putting this in your head."

"Oh, but it was already there, Emma," Snow insisted. "I've seen things, I've noticed more than I think you even realize yourself."

"I love Killian," Emma said desperately, looking for a way out of this conversation. "We love each other. I want to be with him."

Snow looked at her sadly. "But maybe you're not supposed to be," she whispered. "You couldn't break the curse with True Love's kiss. You couldn't split your heart with him."

"I don't need magic or fate or whatever to dictate who I should be with!" Emma stated angrily, turning to put the pizzas in the oven. "Whatever you and Hook think is going on, you're wrong. I'm in love with Killian and Regina is my best friend. That's it!"

Snow bit her lip and clasped her hands together. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean…"

"Yeah, but you did," Emma snapped, washing her hands and turning to exit the room. "Next time keep your nose out of things you obviously know nothing about."

She walked back into the dining room and her eyes connected with Regina's. The darker woman gave her a tentative smile and Emma did her best to return it. Shifting her gaze, her eyes met Killian's and he looked between her and Regina, a disgusted look on his face.

 _Really?_

"Oh, Emma!" David called, having moved from his spot at the table to rifle through the stuff she'd brought. "You packed your mother's things, but I can't find any of mine."

Emma felt like an idiot. She'd been so caught up with her conversation on sexuality with Regina, she'd forgotten to pack her father's stuff. "Shit," she muttered. "I'm sorry! I'll head back and get some things for you."

She looked over at Regina, who was pretending to listen to the ongoing conversation but had a smile pulling at her lips. _Laugh it up, Gina, it's your fault I was so scatterbrained. Talking about fucking up a storm with Mal, and all._

Emma quickly transported herself back to her parent's apartment and hurried to gather David's clothes. She was just turning to place a pile of his shirts on the bed when a voice purred darkly, "Emma. So _nice_ to see you again."


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: And we're moving on to the jealousy portion of the fic, though Emma doesn't know it yet. ;)_

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Emma's gaze shot up to see the Evil Queen sprawled out over the couch in the living area. "I came to pay a visit and there was no one home! Thankfully you showed up, I was getting bored _,"_ The Queen continued. Her voice was raspy. _Damn, Regina did a number on her vocal chords._

Emma swallowed thickly and returned to her task, ignoring the Queen. _She won't hurt me_ , she thought dumbly. _She's Regina, and Regina wouldn't hurt me._ She grabbed another suitcase out of the closet and laid it on the bed beside the shirts. With shaky hands, she began to pack it with David's belongings.

In a split second, the Evil Queen was sitting on Snow and David's bed, legs crossed over the edge, leaning back on one arm. Emma continued to pack, and the silence grew to almost deafening levels. Emma finally finished her task and looked up at the Queen to see a strange look on her face. It was almost…fond.

"Hello there, pretty Savior," she purred when their eyes met. "Are you quite finished?"

Emma maintained eye contact and tried to quash down her fear. "What do you want?" she asked. Whoops, her voice shook. _Way to play it brave, Swan_.

The Queen grinned widely and Emma was struck by the beauty of it. Even this Regina was stunning, in completely different ways than her-than the other one. "I wanted to get my hands on your parents," she explained. "But you're the only one here. So let's have a chat. How are you doing, Em-ma?"

"Fine," Emma said through gritted teeth, balling her fists. If the Queen wanted to talk, maybe she could get some information out of her. "You?" she asked lamely. _Oh, this day has been a clusterfuck, and now I'm chatting it up with the Evil Queen. I just want to go home and eat pizza with my family._

The Queen grinned even wider and rolled over onto her back, putting her hands behind her head and staring up at Emma through long, heavily made-up lashes. "Oh, I'm fabulous! I'm home where I belong, I've freed your poor, poor prisoner, scared your entire family into hiding and managed to rattle my meek little counterpart all in one day. It's been grand."

With the Queen stretched out like she was, Emma could see that her neck was marred with dark black bruises in the shape of Regina's hands. Regina's neck had bruises as well, but not this bad. _The Queen hadn't been trying to kill her._

Struck dumb by that revelation, it took Emma a minute to process the Queen's words and respond in kind. "Yeah," she said. "Our day's been pretty good too, all things considered." The Queen laughed then, and sighed. "You're full of surprises, Emma Swan. Everyone else in this town panics or tries to kill me when they see me. And then here you are."

Emma, filled with courage she didn't even know she possessed, moved the suitcase off the bed and sat down next to the Evil Queen, folding her legs Indian-style as she turned to face her. There they sat, the strange pair they were, and stared at each other for a long moment. Emma studied the Queen closely. She was wearing an extravagant blue dress, heavy makeup, and her long hair fell in waves down her body from an up-do on the top of her head. A heavy silver necklace adorned her damaged neck, and Emma could see where it had cut into her skin during her struggle with Regina. Emma's eyes skimmed quickly past her ample cleavage ( _because, holy shit)_ and followed the line of her body down to her high heels.

"See something you like, Emma?" The Queen taunted, grinning like the Cheshire cat. Emma brought her eyes back to her neck and cleared her throat. "Regina hurt you." The Queen's eyes widened in complete, genuine surprise. "She's hurt me in more ways than one, Savior," She murmured. Leaning up on her elbows, the Queen peered closely at Emma. "You're really not afraid of me, are you?" she asked.

"Wh-why would I be?" Emma asked, staring into all-too-familiar dark brown eyes. "You're still Regina. You might have been split, but you have all of your memories up to that point, right?" The Queen nodded. "Oh yes," she confirmed. "And every dark thought, dark urge and impulse that came with those memories that _she_ was always holding me back from doing. You should be afraid, Savior. I'm not the Regina you know."

"Neither is she." The words came out before Emma could even think, and it was then she realized the truth in them. The Queen's eyes had widened again. Was she really surprising her so much? The thought was almost comical. "It's true," Emma pressed on. "Without you, there's a fire gone from her. Without you, she's unsure of herself. And I don't think you're any different. You feel just as incomplete as she does, don't you?"

The Queen sat up then lunging toward Emma until their faces were inches apart. Emma could smell her perfume, which was nothing she'd ever smelled on Regina before, but underneath was the scent of _Regina._ This was still Regina. "What do you think, Miss Swan?" she sneered. "How would you feel if you were nothing but the dark part of yourself, ripped away and tossed away?"

"I'd feel like shit," Emma said honestly, not backing away from the Queen's face. She looked at her dead on, the courage in her growing by the minute. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry she did it, and I'm sorry we urged her to kill you once her mind was made up. We were supporting her in the wrong decision. I know that now."

The Queen's lashes fluttered as her gaze drifted from Emma's eyes to her lips and back up. "I'm going to rip this town apart, Emma Swan," she whispered, "like she ripped us apart. And Hyde is going to help me."

"What will that get you, though?" Emma prompted. The Queen stopped, blinking. Emma couldn't believe her luck. She'd stumped her. Pressing on, she continued, "What will destroying everything and everyone get you? You care about people too, you must. You're still Regina. What about Henry?" _Yes, Swan, play the Henry card._

"Henry will always be my son," the Queen said. "And when all is said and done, he'll be mine for the taking. I'm going to finally get my revenge on the Charmings, and Hyde will get his wish as well. All of the Untold Stories will play out, exactly as he wants them to. There's nothing you, or Henry or anyone else can do about it. He's going to help me play out my story as well."

"So Hyde's just the resident evil good guy, helping out all the villains change their stories? Wasn't there already someone like that we dealt with, like, you know, the Author?"

"You will not defeat us, Savior," the Queen breathed, her face now almost touching Emma's. Emma felt her heart start to pound, as it always did when Regina, any form of her, was this close. "You can hide all of your mirrors, put up all of your little spells, and we will still win. We have a few tricks up our sleeves, Miss Swan."

"So do we, Your Majesty," Emma breathed right back, a dangerous feeling coursing under her skin. The Queen threw her head back and laughed harshly before grabbing Emma's face in her hands and pressing her lips to hers.

Fireworks exploded in Emma's brain. She was frozen as the Queen's lips moved against hers, and jerked violently when she felt a tongue pressing into her lips, demanding entry. With that violent jerk came a gasp, which opened Emma's mouth and granted the access the Queen had been wanting. With a feral growl, the Queen kissed her deeper.

Regina was kissing her. No, it wasn't _her_ Regina, and yet it _was_ ….

And before she knew it, the Queen had pulled back. Her lipstick was smeared and she was breathing heavily. "My my, who knew Swan was so sweet?" she rasped. Emma could do nothing but stare at her. Her brain was fried, frazzled, cooked. The Queen smiled softly at her. "I look forward to your _tricks_ , Emma. Just remember, sweet Snow has wronged _many._ I'm not the only one with a vendetta against her. There are _many_ untold stories left to uncover."

With that, the Queen disappeared in a purple cloud of magic, leaving Emma alone and trembling for a whole new reason on the bed.

Holy shit. Regina had kissed her. No, the Queen. Regina. It was all muddled in Emma's head, and she could still taste lipstick and feel the softness of the Queen's lips and tongue against hers. Heat began pooling low in her belly and she squirmed. _It's time to shake it off and go home. She was playing with you, trying to rattle you. Don't let her._

With that thought, Emma grabbed her father's suitcase and poofed back to the manor.

"Swan!" Killian yelled when she materialized in the dining room. "We thought you got lost! Come have a seat, we're still feasting."

And a feast it was. The table was lined out with three different large pizzas and a gigantic bowl of salad. The Untold Story people had left, and just her family and Jekyll sat at the large table, all digging into their meal. "I tried to make them wait," Snow said regretfully, "but it's been quite a day and we all skipped lunch." "Sorry guys, I struggled with touching David's underwear," Emma joked weakly, bringing forth genuine laughs from everyone in the room. Pushing David's suitcase against the wall, Emma joined the table, sitting between Hook and her mother. Glancing down at their plates, she noticed that Regina, who was sitting at the head of the table, was the only one who hadn't yet touched her food. Upon Emma taking a seat, she finally picked up her fork and began to eat her salad.

 _Should I say anything?_ Emma wondered. She took a look around the table and saw her family's tired eyes, slouched shoulders and tense faces. No, the Queen hadn't given her any useful information. Telling them would do nothing but worry them. Emma shoved away all thoughts of her encounter with the Queen as best she could and grabbed a huge slice of pepperoni pizza.

About three bites in, Henry asked, "What's that on your face, Ma? It looks like lipstick."

Regina's fork clattered to her plate and the table got quiet as they all peered curiously at Emma's face. Turning red, Emma swiped at her face with a napkin before any of them could get a good look. "Don't be ridiculous, Henry, I don't wear lipstick," Emma said, forcing a laugh. "I must have just smeared the pizza against my face a little too hard. I'm starving."

The excuse was weak at best, deplorable at worst, but Henry and the rest of the table seemed to buy it…until she met Regina's eyes. Regina's face wore a completely unreadable expression as her eyes bored into Emma's until Emma had to look away.

The rest of the meal passed without incident, and wordlessly Emma, Henry, and Snow helped Regina clean up the dishes while Killian, David, and Jekyll made their way back into the living room. When the dishes were done, they joined them. And when Emma saw the scene in front of her, her heart melted.

Regina was holding Neal, bouncing him lightly on her leg as she clapped his hands for him and smiled gently, cooing "You're getting so big, yes you are," while he laughed and squealed. David sat beside her, smiling at them both. Jekyll stood awkwardly in the corner, clearly uncomfortable as always.

Then Emma's gaze turned to Killian, who was sitting a chair and looking sour. _Of course._

Settling in on the arm of the chair next to Killian seemed to cheer him up. He looked up at her with a smile and offered her his hand, which she took. Out of the corner of her eye Emma saw Regina glance at them, and then back down at the baby.

Snow sat on the other side of Regina on the couch, while Henry sat in the second chair. "All right," he said. "I know that everyone just wants to relax, but we have more work to do and it's still early. So here's the stories I gathered today…."

Henry broke into tales of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, who had seen how his tale was going to end and thus had run off to the Land of Untold Stories. And another tale of the Goose Girl, who had run from her evil lady-in-waiting. And yet another from some minor character no one had ever heard of. Each had run from their stories because a villain had been winning, and Henry had worked on convincing each of them to have the courage to play their tale out, despite their fear of an ending, and of Hyde.

Finally the conversation switched to the Evil Queen. They tossed ideas and plans back and forth, each one met with a reason why it wouldn't work, to the point everyone got increasingly frustrated, until finally Regina spoke up. "Jekyll," she said in a low voice, quieting everyone down. Jekyll perked up from his place in the corner of the room, probably glad to finally be needed for something. "I know what needs to be done, and I think together, you and I can accomplish it."

Silence engulfed the room as she went on, "The serum you made that split you from Hyde, and split me from the Queen…I need you to reverse it."

Jekyll shook his head violently. "I've tried! Don't you think I've tried? Every serum I've made has joined us back for a moment, no more, and torn us apart again even more painful than before. It doesn't work!"

"I'm a witch, Jekyll," Regina said calmly. "Whatever ingredients you need to make the serum effective, we can find it together. I will help you as much as I can. But I think the key to ending this, all of this, is to willingly take our other halves back. I see no other options. We can't kill them, and we can't subdue them for long. Time is running out and lives are at stake. You must prepare a list of ingredients you need from me, and I guarantee you I have everything we need in my vault. I came to Storybrooke with my entire stock. I'm nothing if not prepared for situations such as these."

With a nod of agreement from Jekyll, the conversation ended. Hook was the first to stand up, stretching. "I didn't sleep well last night, mates," he said. "Am I welcome to a room or is it back to the Roger for me?" He directed the question at Regina, who leveled her gaze at him and deadpanned, "You are in no danger, and you reek. Go back to your ship, pirate."

"Regina," Emma warned softly. "He's in as much danger as the rest of us. We don't know who Hyde and the Queen will go after next. They might try to use Killian to get to me."

Regina's features softened and she lowered her head. "There's a guest room just up the stairs and to the left, at the very end of the hall. It's not finished, but there is a mattress you're welcome to use," she ground out through gritted teeth, and Emma could tell it pained her to think of Killian sleeping under her roof.

The rest of the sleeping arrangements were hashed out (Snow, David and the baby would take the guest room, after moving the mirrors under the bed into Regina's closet-just in case-) and Jekyll would take the couch. Emma was welcome to share a mattress with Killian or help herself to Regina's chaise lounge once more.

Before making _that_ difficult decision, there was only one thing on Emma's mind. "Regina," she asked, "would you mind if I took a shower? I haven't had one in a couple of days and I feel…grimy."

Regina gave a nod. "You may use mine if you wish," she said quietly, and began to make her way upstairs. Emma followed behind her, and was taken by surprise once they entered the bedroom, when Regina closed the door and then grabbed Emma by the shoulders, turning her and slamming her body into the wall. A wave of pain and unbidden arousal crashed over her-and the Queen's words _we always did like it rough, didn't we-_ as she hissed, "Jesus, Regina, what-"

"She kissed you."

Oh. _Oh._

"What are you talking about?" Emma tried to deflect, giggling nervously. Regina shook her by the shoulders and growled. "Don't play dumb with me, Emma Swan. You saw her again, and this time she _kissed_ you."

"Is this about what Henry said at dinner? I told you guys, it was pizza sauce."

" _Pizza sauce doesn't come in that shade of red._ "

Regina was livid. The vein in her forehead was protruding and pulsing, her eyes were wild and her lips were drawn up over her teeth in a grimace. She was shaking. Why was she shaking?

"Okay, yes. Yes. She was at the loft."

"What. _Happened?!"_

"Regina, chill. Nothing happened. She just tried to get into my head again, and I played her game right back at her. I guess she liked the challenge, because, yes. She-she kissed me."

Regina growled and pushed away from Emma, turning away and burying her hands into her hair. "Why didn't you tell us you'd seen her? That's something we need to know, Emma!" she hissed. Emma shrugged pathetically. "I don't know. She didn't tell me anything new. I'd much rather everyone got a decent meal and focused on other things rather than riling everyone back up."

"She _kissed_ you."

Regina seemed to be stuck on that point more than any other, though why, Emma couldn't or didn't want to fathom. "Regina, she was _playing._ "

"Did you kiss her back?"

Emma's jaw dropped. Regina had turned around and Emma could see that her eyes were lined with red, like she was fighting back tears. "Answer me," Regina whispered, stepping closer to Emma. "Did. You. Kiss. Her. Back?"

"Of course I didn't!" Emma whisper-screamed.

"But you didn't fight her off," Regina stated, crossing her arms. "Why?"

Emma scoffed, "I was kind of shocked, Regina. It was unexpected, and I locked up. It was over before I knew it. It was like kissing _you_ , fuck, it _was_ you kissing me. Why would you, any form of you, kiss me?"

Regina recoiled visibly, grimacing. "Get your shower, Miss Swan. Towels are in the cabinet by the sink." With that, she wrenched the bedroom door open and practically ran back downstairs, leaving Emma standing alone, confused, and wondering, _what the hell is going on with her?_


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: The story will move pretty quickly for awhile after this. Regina's jealousy isn't a tame thing, and the Evil Queen's plan will begin to unravel. For now, have a quiet moment of angsty fluff!_

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 _She'd kissed her._

The thought was stuck in Regina's head, playing over and over again on repeat as she forced herself to keep it together while everyone readied for bed. It had been especially hard not to roast Hook where he stood when he asked her where her bathroom was so that he might join Emma in the shower. After snapping at him, "Not in _my_ house, you won't", she magicked the Charmings' belongings to the main guest room, hugged Henry good night, and provided Jekyll with a blanket for his stay on the couch before making her way into her study to help herself to a bottle of cider. Closing the door behind her, she settled down on the sofa and flicked her wrist to spark up her fireplace, ready to get lost in her thoughts.

 _She'd_ kissed _her._

Regina felt the familiar flare of jealousy, and a pang of regret. She had split herself down the middle, and now the Queen knew the feel of Emma's mouth under her own, and Regina didn't.

She found her mind running away from her. What had been Emma's reaction? She'd said she hadn't kissed her back, but hadn't fought her off either. What did that mean?

She tried to imagine what would have happened if she'd kissed Emma in the bedroom. God, she'd wanted to. Ever since she saw the lipstick smear across her mouth, she'd been struck with an insane urge to drag the blonde to her bedroom and replace the Queen's claim with her own. She imagined her mouth moving over Emma's, Emma's thin lips parting and granting her access into the warm wetness within. She imagined running her fingers through Emma's hair, down her athletic body. Would Emma arch into her? Would she moan breathily and pull Regina closer to her, begging for more?

 _Ugh, of course she wouldn't, you idiot,_ Regina scolded herself, effectively shutting down the fantasy. Emma was in love with the damn pirate, and Regina was still supposed to be mourning Robin.

And, in a way, she was. She missed Robin, so much. She missed his quiet presence, his reassurance, and most of all, the warmth of his strong arms around her. She had felt comfortable with him, and happy in the few moments they'd had together.

But he was gone. And the more she thought on it, the more Regina realized just _how long_ she'd been falling for Emma. The realization of it had only hit her recently, but in reality it had been happening for a very long time.

It had started when Emma had tried to prove her innocent of Kathryn's disappearance. She'd trusted her, and it had rattled Regina's entire perception of the blonde. The Savior that was supposed to be her downfall had somehow become her salvation. Regina had begun to change (minor incident with Cora aside, not only for Henry, but for Emma as well. If Emma believed in her, she had to believe in herself as well.

So many moments, so many times fighting and sharing magic, so much emotion and so much of _Emma_ that Regina couldn't pinpoint an exact thing that made her fall in love with her. But now that she realized she was, she couldn't shake the gnawing want for _more_. The more she reflected on things, the more she realized she'd jumped into Robin's arms the second she realized who he was, and let fate guide her away from what she'd unconsciously wanted and toward what _must_ happen. Now, however….

Now, Regina was stuck. Emma didn't want her. Regina was too late in realizing her feelings, and even if she wasn't, it would never work. Emma was the _daughter_ of her former stepdaughter, and no way in hell would Snow and David ever support it even if it _was_ a possibility.

Once again, Regina was doomed to want something that was forever beyond her reach.

Life really _was_ a bitch.

As if to confirm her thoughts, a knock sounded on Regina's door, and Emma let herself into the study. "Hey," she said softly, closing the door behind her. "Can I join you?"

Regina nodded stiffly and Emma turned to help herself to a glass of cider. Regina tried not to stare at Emma, but her long blonde hair was still wet from her shower and draping damply down her back, leading Regina's gaze to the toned muscles under her tank and the swell of her ass in a pair of short black shorts. When she turned around, Regina got a view of the outline of the plump mound at apex of her thighs and she turned her gaze into her fireplace once more, feeling a jolt of arousal and embarrassment. She hoped Emma hadn't noticed her gaze, but those hopes were dashed when Emma sat down on the sofa next to her, crossed her legs, and said, "I'm sorry. This is generally what I sleep in, and I don't have a robe."

"It's fine, Emma," Regina said, fighting to keep the lust out of her voice. "You're free to wear whatever makes you comfortable."

They sat there for a moment in silence before Emma blurted, "Killian wants me to share the extra guest room with him tonight."

Grimacing in disgust, the information mixing with the arousal in her belly to create a sickening feeling, Regina quipped, "Thanks for the heads up that I'll need to wash the sheets tomorrow."

But then she noticed Emma's hands trembling slightly. Sighing, she reached forward and took Emma's glass from her, setting it down on the table in front of them. "Talk to me, Emma," she urged. "What are you thinking, right now, in this moment?"

"Well, first off, I'm not going to have sex with him under your roof, and with Henry and my parents down the hall."

Relief flooded Regina at that, and she pressed further. "And?"

Emma heaved a sigh and continued, "And I don't understand why I feel like I do. I love Killian. I made him into a Dark One, I went to Hell and dragged my entire family, including you, with me. I told him I wasn't afraid to start our life together, but…"

"But you are."

Emma nodded. "I am. I'm so used to running, _still_ , that the thought of something as domestic as a committed relationship makes me, I don't know, sick? Scared?"

Carefully, not willing to try her luck and run Emma out, Regina said in a low voice, "Maybe it's _who_ you're considering the relationship with, instead of the relationship in general." Emma looked over at her, a frown on her face. "What do you have against Killian, Regina? I know you two don't like each other, but it's something more than general dislike. Oh God," she said, eyes wide and a sick look crossing her features, "you two never slept together, did you?"

Regina had been taking a sip of her cider, and now she was choking on it. Emma patted her back as she coughed, but it was clear she still wanted an answer. "No!" Regina exclaimed, louder than she intended. "No. No, Emma, we've never…ugh. No."

Relief passed over Emma's face and she moaned, "Oh, thank God. I'm sorry." She let out a giggle and Regina scowled, wanting more than ever to throw up. "Some things have happened, Emma, between that… _pirate_ and myself, but none of what you're thinking."

Emma reached for her glass again and took a huge swig, effectively downing it. "One day you should tell me," she decided, standing up to refill her glass. She grabbed Regina's glass as well to top it off. When she sat back down, she went on, "Whatever went down, you should know it won't change how I see you. You're still Regina, and he's still Killian. You both have things in your past you're not proud of, and you're both trying to overcome it and do better. It's what I admire about both of you."

"Yes, Hook and I are surprisingly similar in some ways, I suppose."

That sentence was followed by an awkward silence. Emma looked uncomfortable. Then came the question Regina had been dreading. "Why would she kiss me, Regina?"

 _Please don't ask me that, I don't know if I'm strong enough to lie._

But she tried anyway. "I don't know, Emma. Like you said, she was playing her games. We still don't know what's going on, what her plans are, or why she does anything. She's me, the dark part of me, but she has none of my reservations and none of my conscience. She's more dangerous than I ever was. Why was she at the loft?"

Emma shrugged and replied, "She said she was waiting for Snow and David."

"Then it's good they're here," Regina said firmly.

"I agree."

Regina could think of nothing else to say on the subject, so she just stared at Emma. Her hair was still hanging damply and before Regina knew what was happening, she'd said, "Turn around, face the fireplace."

Emma gave her a questioning glance but did as she was bade. With shaky fingers, Regina put her glass down and reached for Emma's hair. She ran her fingers through it, from root to tip, and she heard Emma gasp and saw a shudder run through her. Scooting closer to her, Regina continued to comb out the Savior's shining strands, pulling it back as she did so.

"That feels really good," Emma said. "I can't remember the last time someone played with my hair. It's been at least a decade."

Humming noncommittally, Regina continued her task. The sound of Emma's gasp had brought back the heat in her belly, and she was fully enjoying this quiet moment amongst the chaos, being allowed to freely touch the beautiful woman in front of her. Slowly, she sectioned out Emma's hair into three different parts, and began to braid it. She worked slowly to prolong the moment, but diligently so as to make a perfect braid. When she was done, she magicked a hair tie into her hand and tied it at the end, then lifted the braid and draped it over Emma's shoulder before running a hand down Emma's pale, soft shoulder. "There," she said, giving Emma's bicep an involuntary squeeze. "Much better."

Emma turned back with a smile on her face. The braid made her appear years younger and the smile lit up her face, stealing the breath from Regina's lungs for a moment. Then she saw that Emma was fighting back a laugh. "What?" she asked warily. Emma shook her head and took a drink before replying, "A few months ago you talked about braiding each other's hair as though it was a bad thing. Now look at you."

Shifting uncomfortably, Regina defended, "I don't like disarray, and your hair was a mess."

"Uh huh," Emma said through her grin. "Want me to do yours?" Regina shifted away, realizing she was sitting too close, and scoffed. She quickly grabbed her drink and drained the contents. "Absolutely not. My hair is perfectly in place, as you well know."

After a pause, Regina admitted, "And I think it's time to cut it." Emma cocked her head. "Need a change?" Regina nodded, relieved that Emma understood. Emma clapped her hands and said, "Then do it! You can use magic to do it, can't you?" Regina nodded slowly. "I haven't tried it," she admitted, "but I could."

She realized Emma was staring at her expectantly. _Oh._ Emma wanted her to cut her hair _right now._ "O-okay," she said. Lifting her hands, she envisioned her hair short, how it was in Neverland. That seemed the perfect length in Regina's mind. With intense concentration, she flourished her hands and felt strands of hair fall down over her shoulders at the same time as a weight seemed to lift from them. Emma lifted her hands and magicked away the fallen strands, and she was grinning widely. "Well, hello, Madam Mayor," she teased softly in a low voice that….did _things_ to Regina. "Did it work?" Regina asked breathlessly, feeling the sizzle of their combined magic like a heady drug. Emma got up and walked over to the covered mirror on the wall and bade Regina to follow her. "Just a peek," she explained, "and then we'll cover it back up."

With a bit of trepidation, Regina followed her and stood in front of the mirror. Emma pulled back the blanket and Regina saw her reflection. Her hair was just above her shoulders once more. She smiled into the mirror and felt a wave of power course through her. _There_ was Mayor Mills, the strong and confident woman that Regina didn't feel she was anymore. "I like it," Emma said as she let the blanket fall down again. "How do you feel?"

"Better," Regina replied.

"Hey, Gina," Emma said. When Regina turned to her to scold her for using that hideous nickname, she had a mischievous look on her face. "What?" Regina asked, completely forgetting the scolding. Biting her lip to keep from laughing, Emma teased, "You braided my hair and gave yourself a makeover. Ready to prank call someone?"

Regina crossed over to the couch and grabbed a pillow, chucking it at Emma. It hit her in the face full force and they both collapsed into laughter.

Regina didn't want to admit how warm, how complete she felt when she was with Emma. Laughter came easily, as well as a feeling of ease and hope.

But, as usual, the moment was ruined by an intruder.

A knock sounded on the study door and Hook's voice drifted in. "Swan?"

Both women sobered up quickly and Regina reached over to take a giant swig straight from the cider bottle as Emma crossed the room to open the door. Hook was standing there, a puzzled look on his face. "Are you coming to bed? It's been a long day, and I think we could all catch up on some…rest," he leered. Emma rolled her eyes and said, "Yeah, you're right. Regina and I were just finishing up." She turned back to Regina and said regretfully, "I'm going to go upstairs to bed. I'll see you in the morning?"

Regina nodded once, not meeting Emma's gaze. When the door closed behind her, Regina chunked her glass into the fireplace, finding solace in the crunch of glass on brick and the sizzle and pop of the fire's reaction as it engulfed it.


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: Oh God, guys. I almost uploaded the worst chapter in history. I had it all written out, and it was so WRONG_ _. Last night's episode stole my muse for awhile. But I deleted the entire chapter and tried again, so hopefully this is an acceptable replacement. It's at least better than what I had before. Let me know what you think!_

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Regina hadn't slept well, once again. Her troubled thoughts had brought troubled dreams, causing her to wake up multiple times in the night. She woke up the final time with the first rays of sun and stretched, deciding to give up on rest. Sitting up, she grabbed her robe and began to stand, ready to take a shower and push through what was sure to be another grueling day.

As her feet hit the ground, a loud snore caused her to start and fall directly to the floor. _What the hell?_

Standing with a groan and looking around for the source of the noise, she saw Emma Swan asleep on her chaise lounge once more. How she'd gotten in her room without waking her, especially with as fitfully as she'd slept, Regina didn't know. But a small smile pulled at her lips as she took in the sight of the sleeping blonde. She hadn't grabbed a blanket or pillow this time, and was sprawled out with one foot on the floor, the other slung over the back of the lounge, and her arm was thrown over her face. Her braid was still in tact, though barely. Regina found her eyes traveling down the blonde's body appreciatively, stopping at her chest and hips before she pulled them away. Reaching for a pillow, she hurled it at Emma, nailing her in the stomach and startling her awake. "What are you doing in here, Miss Swan?" Regina said loudly, pretending to be annoyed.

"That's the second time in twelve hours you've attacked me with a pillow!" Emma groaned, arching her back in a stretch. "And here I thought your magic was formidable. You should teach softball."

Regina crossed her arms over her chest and put on a haughty front. "Answer me," she demanded. "And then tell me how you got in to begin with, because I know I locked that door."

Emma sat up guiltily, rubbing her eyes before explaining, "I…I don't know."

"Oh, come on!"

"No, Regina, I really don't know. I woke up in the middle of the night and I was in here. And I was too tired to go back, so I just went back to sleep."

Regina glanced at the door and saw that it was still locked from when she'd gone to bed. Emma was telling the truth, or she'd locked it back behind her…but if the confused and guilty look on Emma's face gave away anything, it was that she was telling the truth.

So Emma had transported herself into Regina's bedroom unconsciously. As much as Regina didn't want to, she found herself feeling a sense of victory over the dirty pirate.

"Did something happen last night?" Regina asked. Emma shook her head and answered, "No, I don't think so. I turned Killian down for sex again, but he seemed to be expecting it. We went to bed, and all I remember is feeling suffocated. I'm not used to sleeping in the same bed as someone. Maybe I poofed in my sleep because I felt crowded. I don't know." With that, she yawned and laid back down for another stretch.

Regina tried to ignore the flutter in her heart when Emma confirmed that she hadn't _slept_ with Hook. It was another victory. Small, but victory nonetheless.

"Well…I need a shower," Regina mumbled, letting the conversation drop.

"Ugh, can I join you?"

The words were out of Emma's groggy mouth before either of them knew what happened. Regina had turned around to walk to the bathroom but she froze in complete shock. Silence hung in the air between them before Emma stuttered, "Um. I'm…I didn't mean…"

Regina's heart was in her throat, pounding so hard it was threatening to choke her. Oh, the visuals that question brought up…

 _Maybe_ …?

"Well, you did shower last night if you remember, but if you would like to join me, I _do_ have two spouts."

She turned around to shoot Emma a mischievous grin. Emma was beet red in the morning sunlight. It was most endearing.

"I-uh-I just meant…I guess I sweated in my sleep, I didn't think before…Regina… _shit…_ "

Regina threw back her head and laughed. "If you can't handle it, don't ask for it, Sheriff Swan."

And, _oh,_ Emma's eyes drifted down Regina's body and her sleepy gaze caused a sizzle of electricity to flow through Regina. For a moment, she felt powerful. She also felt the distinct feeling of hope, and no matter how she tried to shut it down, it just swelled more.

Emma couldn't seem to get any more words out, so Regina just turned and walked into her bathroom, putting more sway into her hips than was necessary. She heard Emma cough and clear her throat.

 _Maybe…_

The sour look on Hook's face at breakfast made Regina want to celebrate. She should feel bad for him, but honestly she couldn't find it in her. Emma had chosen to sleep in her room over sharing a bed with the pirate. That thought was going to keep her going today.

Zelena showed up shortly after breakfast, and after Regina brought her up to speed on the latest plan, and together the two sisters and Jekyll took a trip to Regina's vault. It was time to get started on the reverse serum.

But when Regina tried to break through her wards, she hit a block. Frowning, she tried to push past it, but it wouldn't budge. _Oh, no._

She'd sealed the vault with blood magic. _Naturally_ the queen had torn through it like a spider web and was now residing inside. Regina wanted to kick herself for not realizing it sooner. "Help me," she said to Zelena. Without hesitation, Zelena raised her hands and focused her energy into breaking the ward. After a solid five minutes, Regina finally felt the Queen's barrier give way.

"That was too easy," she panted, spent from the amount of energy she'd poured from her body. Zelena looked at her incredulously, breathing heavily herself. "You really _were_ more powerful as the Evil Queen, weren't you?" she questioned. Regina shrugged. "I certainly believed so. Either way, we need to be careful. She could have sealed the vault with even stronger magic, and she didn't. She's teasing me."

Zelena nodded and Jekyll looked even more nervous than usual. "M-maybe we can revisit the wreckage of the dirigible, maybe we don't need your…potions," he stuttered before Zelena scoffed and grabbed him by the sleeve, pulling him inside the vault.

Descending the stairs below her parents' coffins, Regina wasn't at all surprised to open the door to see the Queen and Jekyll, sharing a bottle of cider while music played from a record player in the corner. Soft jazz, Regina's favorite. Jekyll was lounging in a chair, watching the Queen twirl in an uncharacteristic dance, cider glass in one hand, a hand-written list in the other at his side. Neither of them seemed surprised at the intrusion, either.

"Regina!" Hyde greeted her, holding his glass up in a toast. "Welcome. How you wanted to part with this half of you is beyond me. She's simply delightful. And generous." He smirked as he took a sip of the cider. The Queen laughed and continued to twirl. "Ah, Regina. It took you way too long to find me. I'm disappointed. Hey, sis," she greeted Zelena, her grin widening. "Come dance with me!"

"I think not," Zelena bit out. She still had hold of Jekyll's coat sleeve, and he'd turned white and looked like he was going to pass out.

"Boo," the Queen pouted, gracefully falling onto the luxurious couch in front of her. "Why are heroes so boring?"

"What are you doing in my vault?" Regina demanded, hands up at the ready. The Queen rolled her eyes and snapped, "You mean _my_ vault. And really, Regina? Going to try magic on me again? You know it has no effect. Thanks for that, by the way, Jekyll. Your serum is quite powerful. I'm stronger than I ever was."

Jekyll stuttered but couldn't get any actual words out. Regina looked at him with disgust. He really was pathetic. How he and Hyde were one person at one time was beyond her.

The Queen seemed to be thinking along the same lines. She looked at Jekyll with almost an identical look of disgust before saying, "At least your other half is more interesting. In fact, that's why we're here. I've been looking through all of my old tomes, and there's nothing, not one page, about this particular magic. And we need to recreate the serum, so I've given Hyde full lists of all my magical ingredients. For…science." She cackled at herself.

"You're not welcome to my stores," Regina said firmly. "Get out."

"Make me, _Regina,_ " the Queen taunted. Regina faltered, knowing that her magic would do nothing against the Queen. "Since I'm not welcome in my own home, Hyde and I will be residing here," she continued. "I think that's the least you can allow me after what you've done. Now _you_ get out. We have a lot of work to do, and you're hindering it."

"You're not going to get away with this," Jekyll said in an uncharacteristic show of courage. Hyde gave him a look from under raised eyebrows and said, "I am. I'm free to continue my work. Your little plan certainly did backfire and benefit me. When we were one, you had quite the hold on me. Not anymore."

The Queen flipped her hair over her shoulder and stated, "I'm growing bored of this. Do give my regards to our…mmm…succulent Swan." She ran her tongue over her lips and shifted her hips tauntingly.

Rage and jealousy flared up in Regina like a wildfire. She threw her hands up to give the Queen a good blasting, but her counterpart just rolled her eyes and lifted her free hand, saying, "Shoo." And before any of them knew what was happening, they found themselves back outside the vault. After getting her bearings, Regina tested the wards again. They were stronger, too strong now for Zelena and her to break. Sighing, she turned to Jekyll. "The good news is Hyde no longer seems to be particularly interested in keeping you." Jekyll was shaking like a leaf, but nodded. "Indeed. Now what?"

Regina wracked her brain, but could come up with nothing. Surprisingly, Zelena did. "Whale," she said. Regina looked at her in admiration. "Yes," she said. "Yes. Whale."

"Who is this Whale?" Jekyll asked curiously. Regina answered, "You might know him as Dr. Frankenstein." A look of recognition passed Jekyll's features. "Really? Here?" he asked excitedly. "He may have some ingredients you need. He's definitely eclectic in his interests," Regina said. "Let's go."

It turned out that Dr. Whale did indeed have a cabinet full of strange ingredients of his own in his home. He was skeptical at first, but his pride got the better of him as Jekyll fawned about how big a fan of Frankenstein's work he was, how his research had made so many medical advances, and how Jekyll would love his input and expertise. The two made fast friends, and Whale agreed to lend Jekyll access to his equipment. The two began to excitedly talk some medical jargon, and Regina and Zelena took their leave after throwing some protective wards up around Whale's house, just in case.

"That was disturbing," Zelena said as they walked away from the house, and Regina nodded in mute agreement. Dr. Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll were doing science experiments together. They lived a strange life.

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When the sisters returned to the manor, they were faced with…well, a whole lot of drama, centered around Hook and Emma.

"-telling me I woke up to an empty bed, not because you had woken up early, but because you'd _left_ me in the middle of the night to go sleep with _Her Majesty_?" Hook was yelling.

"You slept with Regina?" Snow asked, eyes comically wide as she made eye contact with the subject of her question. David looked green, and Henry was backed against a wall, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but in that room. Regina froze, unsure if she was angry or mortified. Probably both.

"No!" Emma yelled at her mother. "Jesus, just _listen_ to me! I woke up in the middle of the night, and I was on the chaise lounge in Regina's room. I don't know how I got there. I must have…poofed in my sleep. And that's hardly what's important right now!"

Hook whirled on Regina. "What twisted game are you playing, witch?" He spat at her. "Stealing women away in the night like a succubus?"

Regina crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow. "I assure you, I was just as surprised to find her snoring away on my lounge as she was to be there," she defended. "Now, is this really a conversation you need to be having in front of Emma's parents and _our_ son?"

That brought Hook up short. He shot a glance around the room, and turned red in the face. "I need to go," he said to Emma. "I'll be on the Jolly Roger if you ever decide I'm worth your time." With that, he stormed out of the house, slamming the door rudely behind him.

One could have heard a pin drop after that. Zelena saved the day by announcing, "So the Evil Queen and Hyde have moved into the vault."

All eyes turned to the sisters, and Henry found his voice. "Where Mom keeps all of her most dangerous spells and potions?"

"That's not good," David said after clearing his throat. "What happened?"

Regina shrugged, taking a seat on the arm of a chair. "Nothing. They're practically throwing a party, and we weren't invited. We got inside long enough for them to taunt us, and then the Queen threw us out and doubled the strength of the wards. It's now impenetrable."

"Where's Jekyll?" Emma piped up, just realizing the meek man wasn't part of the return party. "Oh, he's having a grand old time with Dr. Whale, who graciously allowed him access to his home lab to create an antidote serum," Zelena answered.

"That's…good," Snow said softly. "Regina, I'm so sorry for convincing you to take the serum-"

"As you should be!" Zelena barked.

Snow's eyes filled with tears and she hung her head. Regina shook her head at Zelena, shooting her a warning glare, before saying to Snow, "You didn't force that serum down my throat. I made the choice."

"And we made the choice to support you in your decision instead of talk you out of it," Emma supplied. "We're all at fault."

"Except for me!" Zelena cried. "No one asked me! I would have told everyone they were out of their minds and destroyed the vial. But no, my opinion wasn't good enough!"

Zelena's voice had raised in pitch, and woken baby Neal up from his nap in the port-a-crib in the corner. Sighing, Snow stood and gathered her son into her arms. "It's okay, sweetheart," She crooned. "Aunt Zelena is just a little upset. Shhh."

Zelena had the decency to look contrite, but didn't apologize for waking the baby. She turned to Regina. "I'm going to go check on my own baby. Call me if you need me?"

Regina gave a nod and Zelena disappeared in a cloud of green.

Silence once more enveloped the room, before Emma said, "Regina? May I speak to you, in private?"

Regina followed Emma into the study and watched her take out a bottle of expensive scotch out of the liquor cabinet, and smirked in amusement as she poured herself a generous glass before downing it all in one go. "You're going to replace my alcohol if you keep drinking it at this rate," Regina said, amused. "What's wrong?"

"Do you want a glass?" Emma asked.

"It's barely noon, Emma. No."

Emma sighed, pouring herself another generous helping before leaning up against the edge of the fireplace. "It's Hook," she divulged.

"What's Hook? The reason you're depleting the contents of my liquor cabinet?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Be serious for a minute, Regina."

"I'm listening."

"It seems like every time we take a step forward, it doesn't take two minutes to take ten steps back. It's like, I'm trying. He's trying. Why is it so hard? Shouldn't love be easy?"

Regina licked her lips and noticed that Emma's eyes flickered to them for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "I really want you to consider something, Emma," she began softly.

"Yeah, okay. What?"

 _I want you to consider that Hook isn't who you want to be with. You're not in love. You deserve so much better, and you're tearing yourself apart to be what he wants rather than find your own happiness. Just because you gave up everything for him doesn't mean you owe him. Consider someone else. Consider…_

"Make an appointment with Dr. Hopper," Regina decided to say. Emma's mouth dropped open. "You want me to see a shrink? A _cricket_ shrink? In the middle of everything that's going on right now?"

Regina chuckled. "Well, he hasn't been a cricket in about thirty years now, and he's had a lot of practice at real therapy in the meantime. He's helped quite a few people in this town, myself included. It wouldn't hurt to talk to someone outside of your personal life, to get a new perspective. Deal with some things that you haven't had the chance to deal with."

 _If I can't open your eyes, maybe someone else can._

Emma drained her glass again and reached for the bottle a third time. "You _will_ replace that, and I assure you it isn't cheap," Regina warned. _Please stop drinking your doubts into submission._

Emma's hand faltered and she dropped it to her side. "You're right," she admitted. "I need to talk to someone. I need a different perspective on things. I'll make an appointment."

That was a big step for Emma Swan. Regina was proud. "Good, Emma." She stepped closer to Emma and placed her hand over the blonde's around the glass, taking note of the way Emma shivered at the contact of their skin. _Hope. Hope. Hope,_ her heart practically beat the words against her ribcage. _Careful, careful,_ her mind whispered. "Now wash my glass and place it back in my cabinet." She leaned in to purr into Emma's ear, "And next time, if I want you to guzzle down my drink selection, I'll offer it."


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: Dear God, what have I done...? Okay, so here's the turning point. Warning: Minor character deaths and mild dub/con. You've been warned. Thanks to everyone once more for reading, following and reviewing. We're now in the home stretch._

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"So, Emma, let's begin with why you're here."

Emma sat, nervously wringing her hands, in Dr. Hopper's office. It was the day after she told Regina she'd go see him, and after she'd escorted Jekyll back to Whale's house to continue his work, she'd made good on her word. This was really the last place she wanted to be, it brought back too many memories of her therapists when she was in foster care. But, she'd promised Regina. So here goes.

"I, uh…Regina said I needed to-to talk to someone, about some problems I've been having."

"So you're here because Regina told you to be?" Archie asked, eyebrows shooting up. Emma laughed at his expression. "No, because she suggested, and she was right."

"Well." Archie took out his pen and said, "So, talk to me. What's on your mind?"

This was the hard part. Opening up to people wasn't her strong suit, and she knew it, but something had to give. "So Hook and I…we've been through a lot."

"Indeed," Archie affirmed. "I've heard a great deal about it. You became the Dark One, turned Hook into one also to save his life, he opened a portal to Hell and you had to kill him…then went to the Underworld and got him back."

"Yeah." Emma shifted uncomfortably. She'd pushed a lot of what happened before Hell into the back of her mind, blaming it on the Dark One's effects. "We're trying to get past all that, but it feels like something is stopping us. He-he wants to take things to the next level, and I find myself unable to."

Archie turned pink before clearing his throat and asking, "Why is that, Emma? I've seen you around town. You seem very happy with him."

"Do I?"

Archie faltered. He took in what Emma knew was a tired face with red-rimmed eyes, limp hair and a body that was much skinnier than it used to be. Finally, he shook his head. "No," he admitted. "You don't seem happy at all."

"That's the problem!" Emma exclaimed, jumping to her feet and beginning to pace. "I've given up everything for Killian. I went to _Hell_ for him. I want to move forward and be happy in the relationship I've chosen for myself. But I feel trapped, I feel suffocated, and now he's got this _stupid_ notion that something's going on between Regina and me…" _Oops._ That part wasn't supposed to come out.

But strangely, Archie didn't seem surprised in the least. "Is there?"

" _What?_ "

Archie repeated in a gentle voice, "Is there something going on between you?"

"No!" Emma cried. "Why does everyone think that?"

Archie's lips twitched. "Everyone?"

"Hook, Snow…look, it doesn't matter. Regina is my friend. She and I have always been complicated, so our friendship is complicated. She's needed my help, and I've been giving it to her. And she helps me in return. We're closer than we've ever been, and people are misconstruing it for something that it's not."

Archie was silent for a minute. "Regina aside," he said, changing the subject, "What do you think your problem is, that you can't move forward with Hook?" Emma sat back down on the couch, flopped really, and stared at the ceiling. "You've known Mr. Gold for a long time, right?"

"Longer than I'd like to admit, yes," Archie confirmed. "Why?"

"Do you know, do you see how he's always been with Belle? Even when he was doing evil things, he still doted on and protected Belle with all his power. And Neal. Even as the Dark One, he loves fiercely and protectively. And…when I was the Dark One, my main concern was my family, the people I love, and I gave myself over to it to protect them all. I turned Killian into a Dark One to save his life, to keep him with me. And that may have been selfish, but it was done out of…love."

Archie was staring at her intently now, his pen still. "Go on," he urged. Emma sighed and finally spoke the words that had been bothering her for weeks. "When Killian found out that I'd turned him, he was angry. Furious. He hated me. He said some horrible things, preying on every weakness I've ever shown him, twisting it and using it to hurt me. He brought forth the Dark Ones from the dagger and decided to send not only me, but my _entire family_ to the Underworld. Even at his worst, Gold never tried to hurt Belle. Why would Killian try to hurt me? Hurt my family?"

"He changed his mind and saved everyone didn't he?" Archie asked. Emma sighed. "Yeah, he suddenly decided he didn't want to kill us, and begged me to kill him instead."

Archie thought for a minute before saying, "I think…that you felt guilty, that you turned Hook into the Dark One. You felt guilty that he'd given into the darkness in his heart and you felt guilty that you'd had to kill him."

"Well, duh," Emma said, throwing her hands up. "It was all my fault."

"So, maybe-and this is just a theory-you didn't go to the Underworld to save him out of love. Maybe you went because you felt it was your duty, your penance, for what _you_ had done. Maybe love was never a factor."

Emma felt her hands begin to shake, and she clasped them together and glared at them. Archie noticed the tremor and marked something down in his notebook. "Tell me something, Emma," he prompted when she said nothing to his previous statements. "Okay," she whispered.

"Why did you sacrifice yourself for Regina when the Dark One's powers threatened to take her?"

Emma answered without hesitation. "Because I promised her I'd help her find her happy ending. She's worked so hard, for years, to be a person she can be proud of. She deserves happiness. She didn't deserve what was coming to her if she'd had to take on that curse."

"Did you feel like you owed her that sacrifice?"

Emma did hesitate this time. "I didn't think of it at the time, no. I saw her face and she was so scared, so I just acted. But later, yeah. I owed her. I brought back her sister, in disguise, ruined her relationship with Robin Hood…"

"But didn't you pay that debt when you helped her find him again?"

Wow, word got around quickly in this town, that was for sure. "I..guess?"

"So technically, your debts were paid. You owed Regina nothing when you jumped into that curse."

"What are you getting at?" Emma asked warily. Archie shrugged and said carefully, "You went after Hook when you felt his death was your fault. You did that out of a sense of duty. You saved Regina from a terrible fate without even thinking of the reasons why. You just did it."

Emma was getting uncomfortable. Where was Archie going with this? "I would have done the same for anyone else in my family," she defended. Archie held up his hands and said, "I know, I know. I'm just saying…" At Emma's glare, he altered the course of the conversation. "Maybe you don't owe Hook anything more. You corrected your mistake, and he got his life back. If you don't want to be with him, you don't have to be."

Emma groaned and rubbed her eyes. "He gave up his ship for me, once," she said weakly. "He's told me I'm his happy ending. Isn't that my job, to give everyone their happy endings?"

"Not at the cost of your own, Emma," Archie said, softly but firmly. "Tell me: when you think of when you're happiest, what comes to mind?"

Emma closed her eyes and thought of when she was most happy. The image came instantly: she was happiest when she was spending time with Henry, playing video games and eating Regina's meals. She was happiest in the quiet moments with her family. Another image of the sunlight pouring into the room, illuminating Regina's tired, makeup-less, beautiful face and making her skin glow. Soft laughter and warm brown eyes.

Hook didn't appear in this image of happiness.

Emma's stomach lurched. "This was pointless," she gasped out, fighting back bile. "I'm happy with Hook. At least, I will be once we defeat this new threat. That's all that's holding me back."

Archie looked sad. "Emma, there seems to always be a new threat on the horizon. You have to learn to be happy in the moment. There are moments when you're happy in the here and now, aren't there?"

"I've gotta go," Emma snapped, jumping up. Archie didn't fight her as she raced out the door. She broke into a jog once she left the building, and in just a few short minutes she found herself entering her own large, sparse house. She opened the door and slammed it behind her. She glared down at her shaking hands and grabbed the nearest thing to her (a vase of dead flowers), hurtling it into the wall and shattering it. "Fuck!" she screamed, punching the wall.

"All you had to do was ask, dear," came a sultry voice from behind her. She whirled around to see the Queen standing behind her. _Of course._

"Get the hell out of my house," Emma ground out, still fighting the tremors coursing through her. The Queen pushed her bottom lip out in a pout before waltzing to the couch, gathering up her skirts and sitting down gracefully. "Come here, Em-ma," she purred. "I won't hurt you."

Emma glared at her warily. "I'd rather not," she said. "How did you know I was here?"

The Queen smirked and replied, "I sensed a damsel in distress. That and the cricket didn't cover his mirrors, and nor did you." She pointed to the full-length mirror in the hallway. Emma wanted to kick herself.

"Honestly I don't know _why_ you'd go to the cricket for help, when you could just talk to me. We are friends, aren't we, Miss Swan?"

"Regina and I are friends. You're evil."

The Evil Queen's eyes flashed. Emma saw anger…and hurt? "I _am_ Regina. Are you still living the illusion that that potion split us directly down the middle? That _she's_ good and I'm pure evil? Life isn't so black and white, Savior."

Emma felt a pang of guilt. The Queen was right. She was still Regina, no matter what anyone tried to think. Slowly, still shaking, Emma joined the Queen on the couch, keeping a respectable distance away. "What do you want?" she asked tiredly. She was exhausted from fighting. She just wanted a break. There was too much going on at one time, and she was sick of it all. The Queen was obviously not here to battle, so Emma felt her guard slip a little. The Queen reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind Emma's ear, causing a shudder to course through her. Her touch was so like Regina's…

"I get so lonely, spending all of my time in the vault with Hyde. He's so stiff, and our conversation is lacking. We really have nothing in common except for one thing. We both want what we want, and will get it."

Emma watched her face and saw that there was genuine loneliness in the depth of her heavily made-up eyes. "We're going to stop you," Emma said softly. "We have to protect the people we love, and we _will_ stop you." The Queen laughed softly. "I don't doubt that you'll try your best," she said. "But I've spent the last thirty years being held back, suppressed, subdued. It's my time to shine, and remind Regina that she can't escape her past. She can't destroy me, no one can. I'm the one constant in Regina's life. I've gotten her where she is. And she needs to recognize that."

"I think she does," Emma sighed. "She regrets what she did."

"As she should."

"Don't you ever get tired of constantly plotting deaths? Don't you get tired of being surrounded by fear, by death, by all the… _evil?_ " Emma asked, genuinely curious. The Queen met her eyes and whispered, "I get _tired_ of my goals, my desires, being pushed to the back burner and left to simmer. I want to take what I want, Emma Swan, and I finally have that chance."

"And what do you really want, Your Majesty?"

" _My_ happiness."

In a flash, the Queen lifted her skirts and twisted to throw her leg over Emma's hips. Emma panicked and tried to push her off. They grappled for a moment before the Queen gathered her wrists in her hands and wrenched them up and over the back of the couch. She held her in a vice grip, settling down in her lap and squeezing her thighs over Emma's, their faces centimeters away. "You're in such denial, Savior," the Queen growled. "You don't even know what you want. You think your happiness lies in _saving_ other people. You think the pirate can give you what you need. You're _delusional._ "

She began rocking her hips against Emma's, and Emma felt a traitorous pull in her loins in response. She struggled to break free, arching her back and pushing her hips up to throw the dark woman off her, but the Queen held her tighter, digging her nails into the flesh of Emma's wrists. "You think the _pirate_ can give you what I can? You think the weak, docile Regina is the _real_ version of me? She doesn't make you feel like I do. She makes you feel confused, doesn't she? Are you friends? Are you just co-parents? It's pathetic, isn't it." She pressed down harder, her center meeting Emma's lower belly, and Emma could feel the heat radiating from her there. Emma's head was foggy, she couldn't think straight…

The Queen was moving in a definitive rhythm now, grinding into Emma with purpose. Emma tried to struggle again, but the movement just pushed their lower halves together more, eliciting a moan from the woman on top of her. "Get off," Emma cried weakly, feeling tears prickle at her eyes. She was so overwhelmed, she felt trapped and at the mercy of the Queen, she should have blasted her ass out of the house, not _sat down and tried to reason with her…_

"Oh-yes-oh, I'm going to," The Queen ground out through her ragged breaths. And, oh, Emma couldn't help it, the intent made clear behind those words sent an _ache_ through her body, a tortured moan ripping up from her vocal chords. "That's it," The Queen groaned. "Yes, Emma. The pirate doesn't make you feel like I do, does he?"

Emma gritted her teeth and refused to answer. She was trying to fight the feelings rushing through her, but her mind was muddled and her body was betraying everything she thought she knew about herself. The Queen's nails, digging into her skin, sent rippled of pained pleasure through her, increasing the already demanding ache in her center. The heat from the Queen's core was driving Emma insane. Even through their layers of clothes, Emma could feel it. Emma knew that if she were to reach under the fold of her dress, the Queen would be hot and wet and inviting. _Why_ was she thinking about that? She was being assaulted, she wanted to rip the Queen apart…

"Answer me!" The Queen yelled, shifting so that she could grab both of Emma's wrists in one hand, freeing her other to grab onto Emma's hair, pulling her head back and exposing her throat. "Does the pirate or my pathetic half stoke the flame under your skin, Emma Swan, or do I alone pull it forth?"

Emma bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. She felt the Queen's lips on her jaw, on her neck, felt sharp teeth bite into her skin and a soft wet tongue lap over the marks. She felt her entire body trembling in response, and when the Queen's mouth closed over her pulse point and began to suck, Emma cried out wordlessly.

Growling low in her throat, the Queen began to suck harder, still grinding at a steady pace. Emma couldn't take it anymore, the sensations were too much. Without even thinking, she wrenched her hand out of the Queen's in a show of pure strength and flipped her on her back on the couch, where she settled between the evil woman's thighs and pressed hard into her, bringing forth a pained moan. "You want to play dirty, Your Majesty?" Emma seethed through gritted teeth. "We'll play dirty." She attacked the Queen with her mouth, biting and sucking and drawing blood to the surface of the skin on her neck. The Queen was panting heavily, pushing her hips up against Emma's in a wild dance, no longer able to control the pace. "Yes…yesss," she hissed at the pain Emma brought forth. Emma moved south, clamping her teeth over the swell of a milky breast, tasting the darker woman's blood in her mouth. This moment was heady, intoxicating, and Emma completely forgot herself. She was lost, here in this hateful, erotic moment, and she didn't want to be found. Her senses were on overdrive. She could smell her, taste the sweat on her skin, hear the moans from her throat, and she could _feel_ the unbelievable heat between her thighs. "Touch me, Emma," the Queen demanded, and Emma's eyes rolled back into her head so hard she saw stars. She moved her hand between them automatically, pushing the Queen's skirts up and finding her lace-covered center. Pressing her hand over the Queen's mound, her fingers became instantly slick with the obvious want she found there. "Fuck, Regina," Emma panted. She looked up into familiar brown eyes and felt the Queen shudder under her hand….

And froze.

In an instant, her mind cleared, her blood ran cold, and she realized what she was doing.

This may be the Evil Queen, but she was still _Regina,_ and they were making out like horny teenagers on the couch inside Emma's house. She took in the love bites, raw and red against the Queen's still-bruised throat. She saw the bleeding teeth marks on the swell of a breast, and her stomach lurched as bile rose into her mouth. "Fuck," she repeated, for an entirely different reason. She scrambled backwards, away from the Queen's grasping hands, and stood up so fast her head spun. "No!" the Queen cried, and oh, the sight she made, laying on the couch with her elaborate skirts up around her waist, legs spread and exposing her lace-clad center, the pale material darkened where her wetness had soaked it. "You get back here, Emma Swan, or I will _destroy you_."

Emma pulled her magic into her hands, sending white sparks dancing from her fingertips, and the Queen sat up quickly, a fireball ready in her palm. They glared at each other, and then…

"We're going to make an antidote serum, Your Majesty," Emma said coldly, not sure why the words were coming from her mouth. The Queen's jaw dropped. "No," she whispered. "I don't want to go back. I don't want to be trapped inside of _her._ "

"Too bad. Your plan will fail, and as always, good will triumph over evil."

The Queen snarled and leapt to her feet. "You're already too late, _Savior._ "

As if to punctuate her words, Emma's phone began to ring. The Queen straightened her skirts and disappeared in a purple cloud of magic, and Emma shakily grabbed her phone out of her back pocket. Regina was calling.

"Hello?" Emma answered, trying to keep her voice steady.

" _Emma? Are you alright?_ " came Regina's worried voice through the phone's speaker. " _You're breathing heavy. Where are you?_ "

Obviously, she hadn't kept her voice _or_ her breath steady. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said, forcing her breath to slow. "I jogged to my house after meeting with Archie. Needed air. What's up?"

" _You need to get to the town square, now. Hyde has apparently finished replicating Jekyll's potion. There's a split personality here, Henry says it's Judge Claude Frollo. He's gone after the Hunchback and his gypsy friend, and I need your help. He's also apparently impervious to magic._ "

Emma's breath left her lungs harshly. The Evil Queen had been distracting her while Hyde had split another person in two. The Queen had been preying on Emma's fragile state of mind, and Emma had bought right into it. She wanted to throw up. "I'll be right there," she stated firmly, and hung up the phone before transporting herself to the town square.

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What she saw when she got there made her heart leap into her throat. The Queen had beaten her to the scene, and was cackling with mirth at what was going on. Dozens of townspeople were gathered in the street, looking up at the broken face of the clock tower, where the Hunchback was dangling by one hand as a thin old man was trying to push him out to the concrete below. Emma brought her gaze back down to see an identical thin man, on his knees in prayer. _Frollo._

"Hey!" She shouted up at the judge. "Stop!" She blasted him with her magic, but as usual it seemed to do no good. Regina grabbed her hand and said, "It's no use. We need to get up to him, but the Queen put a ward on the clock tower."

"I have been given the power of God to cleanse this realm of the sins and the filth of humankind," a strong voice carried down to her. "Your witchcraft will not hinder the will of the Lord. I'm sending this demon to Hell!"

As he finished his sentence, the Hunchback lost his grip and hurtled to the ground, screaming. Emma and Regina both threw up their hands in sync, catching the poor man halfway through his fall and bringing him to a soft landing, where a group of people surrounded him to make sure he was okay.

"No!" The judge growled, and disappeared from view. A high pitched scream followed, and before long, the judge came rushing out of the building, covered in blood. _Whose blood?_ Emma thought frantically.

"You will not interfere, witches!" he was screaming. His "weaker" half was standing now, rushing at his counterpart. "Thou shalt not kill! What have you done?!" The evil half of Frollo pushed the other down to the ground with a snarl. "What you were never strong enough to do!" he roared. He rushed at the crowd of people around the poor Hunchback, drawing a bloody knife from the folds of his robe. "No!" Regina screamed, rushing forward. Emma used her magic to summon her gun (she couldn't believe she hadn't thought to grab it before coming here) and held it up, aiming it at Frollo's back. "Stop!" She cried. The people had dispersed, fearing death, and the evil judge was now hovering over the unconscious man on the ground. He had apparently fainted from fright. Regina made to intercept, and through all the commotion Emma didn't dare pull the trigger in fear she'd hit the wrong person. Before Regina could make it to the judge, Frollo's better half was driving a second knife into the back of his counterpart.

The evil man roared in pain and anger and turned around, plunging his knife into the neck of his other half. The two sank to their knees, and everyone, including Regina and Emma, could do nothing but watch in horror.

"Thou…shalt not kill," the good half of Frollo gurgled. The other bared his teeth and said nothing. Emma rushed up to them both, finally finding their feet. "Hang on," she said helplessly, holding her hands out. "Hang on, I can fix this. We can help you." Magic began to flow from her fingertips, and then it fizzled out as it reached the split halves of Judge Frollo. "What…"

Before her eyes, the two men began to change, to merge, and before long only one judge lay on the concrete in front of her, bleeding from wounds in the back and the throat. "Father, forgive me," he whispered as he drew his last breath. Emma sat there next to him, trying in vain to heal the wounds. Her magic was doing nothing.

Regina laid a hand on Emma's shoulder. "Enough, Emma. It's not working."

Behind them, the Evil Queen was clapping her hands in pure, malevolent joy. "The Savior failed to save!" she shouted. The women whirled around and got to their feet, ready for a fight, and saw that Hyde had appeared at the scene. "You were warned," Hyde said mockingly.

"No," Emma rasped, her voice failing her. "I saved the Hunchback. He's safe!"

"Ah-ah, look again, Savior," the Queen taunted. Emma and Regina turned back to see that the Hunchback had yet to move, and a blond man beside him had a hand on his neck, feeling for a pulse. After a moment, he looked up at the women and shook his head morosely.

"The boy's heart gave out on his trip down from the tower," The Queens said through a grin. "Honestly, Regina, we've read this tale. The Hunchback doesn't survive his story, and nor does the object of his affection." She pointed up to the broken clock. "You'll find poor Esmeralda up there."

That was why Frollo had been covered in blood. He'd killed the gypsy before coming down to finish off the Hunchback. Emma felt sick.

"The stories will play out, and you can not stop them," Hyde gloated. "These people escaped to the Land of Untold stories like the cowards they are to run from their pasts and prevent their futures. Now, they have to face the ends of their stories and there's nothing that can prevent it. Not even magic. You're useless."

The Queen linked her arm into Hyde's and tossed her hair over her shoulder, exposing the dark love bites and teeth wounds on the swell of her breast. Emma glanced at Regina, whose eyes had widened at the sight. Regina turned to Emma curiously, putting two and two together, and she saw her dark eyes trail over Emma's neck, and then darken with fury.

 _Shit._ Emma wanted to curl up, poof away, hide forever. Instead she planted her feet and glared at Hyde and the Queen. "We're not useless. We will stop you."

Hyde laughed. "I have no doubt that you will try. But before you attempt, maybe you should ask Jekyll of _our_ story. Be sure you know for sure who you have on your side."

After that cryptic message, the Queen blew a kiss at Emma and lifted her hand, transporting herself and Hyde away, probably back to the vault. Emma turned to Regina to see a cold fury emanating from her. "Regina…"

"The manor. Now," Regina barked, poofing away.

 _Double shit._

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Once Emma caught up with Regina, she looked around the manor only to see her parents and Henry in the kitchen throwing together a quick dinner. "Where's Regina?" she asked breathily after pulling her hair forward to hide her neck. Snow gave her a puzzled look. "She's here?"

"Uh…yeah. She told me to meet her here. Some stuff went down on main street."

Snow nodded sadly. "We heard about the split of Judge Frollo. We got a call from Granny and Regina rushed off. What happened?"

Before Emma could reply, they heard a heavy thump coming from upstairs.

Emma cast her gaze upwards. Regina must be in her bedroom, waiting to tear into Emma. "Uh, I'll explain in a bit. I think Regina's upstairs."

With that, she took the stairs two at a time and let herself into Regina's room, where she found a sight she thought she'd never see.

Regina's room was in complete disarray. She'd stripped the bed completely down to the mattress, the pillows strewn everywhere. The chaise lounge was knocked over, and, _oh my god_ , there was a hole in the wall. Judging by the blood on Regina's knuckles, she'd _punched_ it.

"Whoa!" Emma cried, rushing to close and lock the door behind her. "What the hell, Regina?"

Regina's back was to her, her hands formed into fists and she was breathing heavily. "Did you see what happened, Emma?" she asked in a low voice.

"Uh, I saw lots of things," Emma answered tentatively. "What are you referring to?"

Regina didn't face her, but clarified, "When the two halves of Judge Frollo killed each other, they merged back into one. That's the answer."

 _Oh. Oh god, no._

"I couldn't kill the Queen because I was still alive. If I'm alive, she can't die. And vice-versa. That's why she hasn't tried to kill me. She can't. Hyde must have told her that."

"Hey," Emma said coaxingly, reaching forward slowly. "Jekyll is working on an antidote. He'll fix it."

"We lost three lives today, Emma. Whether they were supposed to be lost or not, we lost them. We could do _nothing_. There's more blood on my hands."

Emma's hand came into contact with Regina's back and the woman recoiled, swiping savagely behind her to knock Emma's hand away. "Whoa," Emma said again. "Regina, what…"

"But maybe that's what you like, isn't it, Miss Swan?"

 _Uh…_

Regina whirled around and Emma gasped at what she saw. Regina had been digging at her own throat, there were red claw marks covering the now faint bruises that still marred the flesh there. "You like the evil part of me, Emma Swan. You crave it."

"Whoa, Regina, wait."

"No!" Regina hissed, grabbing Emma and wrenching her into the bathroom. She shoved her into the sink and grabbed Emma's hair in one hand while uncovering the mirror with the other. "Look at yourself," she growled. "Look at what you let her do to you, while I was fighting that _freak_ judge. LOOK!"

Emma looked, and she felt her stomach flip. Her throat was covered in dark hickeys, in distinct teeth marks, and _fuck_ , she couldn't explain that away.

"Regina…"

"Shut. Up." Emma's teeth clamped closed and she watched in silent horror as Regina brought her free hand to Emma's throat. "She marked you. And don't think I didn't see what you did to her. What else did you do to her, Em-ma?" Her tone was dark, dangerous, and if Emma didn't know any better, she'd swear Regina had never split herself. Her tone was harsh, unforgiving.

"Nothing, Regina, _ow_ -" Regina wrenched her head back and let the blanket cover the mirror again. "Don't. Lie. To. Me." She punctuated each word through closed teeth and she spun Emma around. "Did she touch you? Did you touch her? How wet were you for her, for that bitch that's threatening our home, our _family?_ "

Emma didn't answer. She couldn't she felt so guilty, so ashamed, but she still tried to explain. "She…ow…she was distracting me. Making sure I didn't show up in time to help you from the start. I didn't see it. I'm sorr- _"_

Emma was cut off by Regina biting down on her neck in the exact place the Queen did, her hands coming up to cover Emma's breasts and squeeze roughly. "Is this what you want, Emma?" She growled into Emma's skin before biting in again, moving one hand down to hover over Emma's groin. "Or does only _she_ get this?"

Emma couldn't breathe. Regina was _attacking_ her, out of anger, out of…jealousy? She felt the heat of Regina's anger through where her mouth connected with fury on the tender flesh of her throat, and once again she felt the betraying coil of arousal begin to unfurl in her belly. "No!" Emma screamed, pushing Regina away from her. "Get off me, don't touch me!" She was losing it. She never asked for any of this, never asked for all of these _feelings_ and these doubts, she'd never wanted to hurt Regina. Because of her own repressed feelings, she'd caused so much damage and had allowed herself to be distracted from three impending, imminent deaths. Suddenly everything seemed crystal clear as she looked into the pained pupils of the brunette.

" _She's falling in love with you."_

" _Do you love her?"_

" _Is this what you want? Or is it only_ she _get this?"_

 _Fuck. No. No, no, no!_

"Don't you ever touch me again," Emma hissed, forcing all the fury, all the self-hatred, all the _shit_ she was feeling into her words. With that, she raised a hand to her throat, focused on healing the marks there. She didn't want to feel Regina, either one of them, on her anymore.

"Emma…" Regina's voice was filled with regret, filled with tears, but Emma didn't want to hear it. And with one last final push against the woman standing as though frozen in front of her, Emma ran out of the bedroom and slammed the door as hard as she could behind her.


	16. Chapter 16

_A/N: I am SO SO SO SO sorry for the long hiatus I took from this fic. I hope this can make it up to you: This fic is finished. I'll be uploading the rest of the chapters over the course of the next couple of days. Let me know what you think!_

 **WARNING: Dubious/really freaking weird consent stuff here, y'all. I don't even know how to describe it.**

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 _What have I done?_

Regina stood frozen in place, a roaring sound in her ears, as the realization hit her.

She had completely lost her mind, that's what she'd done. She'd been unhinged. The second she'd laid eyes on the queen's passion-marred skin, she'd begun to form a conclusion. A glance at Emma's neck had proved her right, and then her vision had gone white in a fury unlike any she'd felt in awhile.

She couldn't explain what happened after that. The destruction of her bedroom had gone in a blur, one thought on her mind: _Emma reciprocated the Queen's advances. And I have to die._

The likelihood of Jekyll's serum being ready in time was almost nonexistent. If they wanted to beat the Queen, they'd have to kill both versions of her. Regina was going to die, and her hope of ever being with Emma dissipated. A hope that had been growing, foolishly, until she'd seen the physical evidence of passion on the two women, and realized what the Judge's death meant for her.

The marks left on the Queen showed that Emma had reciprocated with a matching ferocity. Had they gone further? Were there more marks where clothes hid?

She couldn't process. She alternated between jealousy and white-hot anger; anger that Emma had fallen for the trap and allowed herself to be distracted, and when Emma had arrived, Regina was in the anger phase. She'd blamed Emma for not being there, when she'd gotten there as fast as she could. The anger had been directed at Emma then, but in reality, she was angry at herself. And, out of anger, jealousy, and self-loathing, she'd forced herself on Emma.

She had split herself, without understanding the price. She had unleashed the worst part of herself on the people she now loved and cared about.

And the only way to stop it was to kill herself. _All_ of herself.

She didn't know if she was strong enough. Especially not now that she'd revealed her feelings to Emma in the worst possible way, resulting in the end of their friendship. She was so stupid. Emma was with the pirate, and she would stay with him. Nothing Regina could have said or done would have changed that, and she was a fool for thinking maybe she could have.

She just picked the worst possible way to make her feelings known. As usual.

With a wave of her now shaking hands, her bedroom became once more immaculate. Then she crossed the room to the chaise lounge, where she felt her knees give way and she fell gracelessly onto it, her body heaving with wave after wave of anguish.

She was alone, and it was all her fault.

Regina didn't know how much time had passed. When she finally stopped sobbing, she laid there, trying to center herself. She could hear the faint sounds of voices coming from downstairs, but couldn't make out anything that was being said. Only one thing mattered: Emma was in the house. Either she'd left and come back or she'd stayed…either way, she may now be telling everyone the horrible details of the day.

That thought sent a fresh wave of fear and anger through her. She needed to be downstairs, defending herself. With purpose, she stood and marched over to the mirror on her wall. Uncovering it, she gasped at her reflection. Her makeup had run, and she had black circles and trails underneath red, swollen eyes.

 _How pathetic._

Quickly, she used magic to better her appearance, and when she was satisfied, she marched downstairs. When she entered the main living room, what she saw shocked her still. Her entire house was filled with people. Maleficent and Lily had arrived at some point, and were sitting on the couch with Zelena, who was holding baby Robin to her bosom. They were conversing with Snow, David and Henry. Hook had come back too, and was wearing a troubled look even though Emma had practically glued herself to him as they spoke in even lower tones in the corner of the room.

Relief flooded her. She wasn't alone. Her entire family was here, everyone she cared about. _And the pirate,_ the snarky part of her mind reminded her.

She could do this. She just needed a plan. Clearing her throat, she asked, "Has anyone heard from Jekyll?"

All heads turned her way and Snow sighed with relief. "There you are!" she exclaimed. "We were getting worried about you."

"I wanted to go get you," Henry added, "But Ma told me to give you time. She told us what happened today."

And there it was. White-hot rage filled her and she hissed, "What?!" while shooting Emma one of her best death glares. _How_ dare _she tell our son what had transpired!_

Emma's gaze, which had still been on Hook, finally met Regina's, her eyes wide. "Yeah…I…told them about Frollo. And that we know how-how to-."

Oh, thank the gods. Emma hadn't spoken of anything personal. Tampering down her temper, Regina crossed her arms in front of her. "How to kill her? Kill me?"

Emma nodded slowly and pressed tighter to the damn pirate. Fighting the insane urge to rip her away from him, Regina turned back to the rest of her guests. "I'm sorry to worry you, Henry," she addressed her son. "I had some things to deal with. Obviously. But we need to know how far Jekyll has come with the serum, so we can formulate a plan."

"Well," Zelena piped up, "You were gone for _hours,_ Regina. We're already one step ahead of you."

 _Hours?_

Mal crossed her legs gracefully and smirked, "We got confirmation about a half hour ago that Jekyll finished his serum, Regina."

Regina's heart skipped a beat. "He has? It's successful?" she breathed incredulously. Henry nodded excitedly. "We got a call from Blue. All we need to do is apprehend Hyde again, and we can test it. But Grandpa looked it over, and he said it looks like it will work!"

"And we could already have done so," Lily snapped, "Except Emma took a trip to the shrink and you holed yourself away for almost the whole day. So let's fill her in on the plan, people!" She punctuated her statement with a hateful look at Snow and David, who had the grace to blush in shame. Lily was still angry with them for separating her from her mother. Regina couldn't blame her, honestly.

Wait, did Lily just say Emma had gone to Archie? How long had Regina been upstairs?

That didn't really matter, she decided. Any chance she had with Emma was long gone, and she needed to focus on the good news: Jekyll had finished! She might not have to die!

With a quick nod and her head filled with foolish hope, Regina sat down in an empty chair as they ran the plan by her.

What she forgot to think about, however, was the words of warning Hyde had given her:

" _You should ask Jekyll of our story."_

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 _Fire._

The forest was on fire.

And Regina was staring down at the body of Dr. Jekyll.

It had been the biggest showdown Regina had ever seen: dragons in the sky, dwarves swinging their pickaxes, magic shooting from Emma's and her own fingertips. Swords clanging, arrows flying, and every fairy tale villain practically crawling out of the woodwork.

Jekyll had spilled everything as they both lay dying: Jekyll had been the worst part of the two of them. Jekyll had experimented not only on himself but also, rather gruesomely, on women. He used Hyde to reel them in, then performed the experiments until he was caught. He then blamed Hyde in front of the authorities, and all evidence had backed up his claim because the women were seen with Hyde, not Jekyll. All of the deaths had been blamed on Hyde, thus making him a target…until people began to question the nature of Jekyll's serum and started to put two and two together. Jekyll had fled to the Land of Untold Stories to continue developing the serum that would split them forever, so he could return to his land and none would be the wiser to the real culprit.

All Hyde had wanted was for the story to play out. He had seen the way the people of the Land of Untold stories had been suffering, as he himself was suffering, and he wanted it all to end. He had just wanted everyone to be brave enough to finish their stories.

Even worse, Jekyll had admitted that the serum was a fake. It had been a poison. Jekyll had become tired of his own sick inclinations, and had known the one way to cure himself.

A truce had been called during the battle, as Hyde had been captured. Jekyll forced the serum down his throat before taking a mouthful for himself. After a moment, they had both collapsed to the ground.

After his short, choked monologue explaining everything, Jekyll had spoken one last sentence before death took them both:

"I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end."

Regina and the others had been horrified that they'd worked so closely (even so close as to let him sleep under the same roof as them!) with a deranged serial killer, but they barely had time to think about it before they heard the Queen laughing maniacally as she magicked herself away from the battleground.

Regina waved her hands to extinguish the fire, and silently the survivors of the battle looked around at the charred remnants of the trees. The dragons morphed back into their human forms, and what villains hadn't been defeated disappeared as quickly as they had come.

They had failed.

Emma sidled up to Regina and cautiously spoke. "Regina…" Self-loathing flared and Regina snapped, "Be careful, Ms. Swan. The Queen and I, we're one, even separate."

Emma got the message loud and clear, and stepped back a few paces. "You're right," she deadpanned.

"Indeed," Regina mumbled, still staring at the spilled potion on the ground. In her peripheral vision, she saw Emma walk back to Hook and allow herself to be wrapped in his embrace. Regina wanted to vomit. Instead, she transported herself to her vault without a word to anyone. There was something she needed to do, and she didn't want anyone to try and stop her.

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The second she materialized inside the vault, she was met with a very familiar face smirking at her.

"It's about time, Regina. We have so much to discuss."

"I didn't come here to chat."

"No," the Queen mocked. "you came here to kill us. Really, Regina, is that the only option you have left? Self-sacrifice? How heroic of you."

Regina glared at her counterpart. "Enough," she ground out through gritted teeth. She lifted her hands and a fireball slowly began to flare from her palms. The Queen just rolled her eyes and waved her hand, extinguishing it. "I'm not going to let you kill us. Would you like a drink?"

Regina sighed. There really was no way of doing it by herself, she realized. The Queen wouldn't fight, and killing herself without killing the Queen couldn't be done, so Regina was forced to sit down. She was a fool.

Easing herself into a chair, she sat stiffly and silently.

The Queen watched her for a moment before standing to mix herself a drink. "Do you want one?" she asked casually. Regina didn't answer, so the Queen set about making a second drink before forcing it into Regina's hand. "Drink up, dear," she simpered. "You haven't been looking well."

"You think?" Regina snapped, before downing the contents of the glass in three gulps. Appletini. Of course. She stood and helped herself to a second and then a third glass, before finally sitting down, her mind pleasantly hazy.

"Well, let's chat," she sighed.

"Was the battle worth it?" The Queen asked. "After all, the only thing you _heroes_ managed to do was kill a few random villains and start a wildfire. Not your best accomplishment." Regina shot her a glare. "I just wanted everything to end. I wanted you and I to rejoin. I'm tired, _Your Majesty._ I'm tired of constantly fighting some threat to myself and my family."

"They really have become your family, haven't they?"

"They really have. They forgave me. They forgave _us._ Even before we split, I was one of them. It was such a long, slow process. But redemption feels good. I was so alone. That's what you're after, right? You have a hole in your heart just like I did before. You're lonely."

The Queen sneered and avoided answering the invasively intuitive question by switching the subject of the conversation.

"I saw what happened between you and Emma, for a moment in the mirror," The Queen said. She sipped her drink and smiled. "I can't imagine that went well for you, Regina."

"It didn't."

"No, it didn't. We've been in love with her for years now, do you know that? We loved her even when we loved Robin."

Regina nodded. "I never wanted to admit it to myself. She was always so…unattainable, I never even let myself consider the possibility. And now it's too late. She's in love with Hook."

"Hardly. She responded so sweetly to me."

The reminder of Regina's latest cause for anguish was brought back freshly to the forefront of her mind. The Queen must have seen the flash of anger in her eyes, because she leaned in closer, elbows on her knees, a dangerous curve to her lips. "She tastes so divine, and feels even better," she taunted. "I was so aroused, seconds from release even. Her mouth on me, her body over mine, all the passion and fire she's been lacking since the arrival of the walking, one-handed barnacle."

"Shut up. I don't want to hear it," Regina spat, feeling sick to her stomach and yet also feeling a stirring in her belly at the Queen's description.

"Oh, but you do. You know you do. You want to hear about how she flipped me to my back, how her fingers pressed to my sex and how I _know_ she was aroused by the wetness she found there."

Regina felt angry tears sting her eyes as she pictured the scene. Emma had touched her, and yet it hadn't been her. She hadn't been there at all. She could only listen, feeling the pressure in her head and her belly grow with every word. "Stop."

"Her fingers trembled, Regina. She whispered our name and I knew in that moment she was drowning in desire for me. For _you._ Something we've never seen on her face for that pirate. I was _so_ disappointed when she pushed away from me after that. The change from lust to panic was almost comical."

Regina heard those last words through the rush of her heartbeat in her ears. "She…stopped? Before I called her?"

"Mm, moments before," the Queen confirmed in a bored tone. "It really is a shame you let jealousy get the better of you. I saw the fear in her eyes, through that mirror. You really are the worst version of us. So cowardly, so controlled by your own self-loathing. You never learned to love the best aspects of us."

They sat there in silence, just staring into each others' eyes, waiting. Finally, Regina spoke in a whisper.

"You're right."

The Queen appeared shocked at the admission. "What?" she questioned. Regina stood and crossed the gap between them, kneeling down in front of her counterpart, who stiffened and gripped the arms of the chair she was seated in. "You were right," Regina repeated slowly, staring up at her. "I'm the worst version of us. I chose to split us. I hate myself. I doubt every move I make. I doubt every word I say. I'm a coward. Without you, I'm weak. But you…" she trailed off and lifted a hand to touch a piece of the Queen's long hair, almost amused by the wary look she saw on her face. "You are my passion. My drive. My desire, my determination. You are my defense when I feel helpless. I need you."

The Queen grimaced and hissed, "Too bad. I don't need you."

"That's a lie," Regina smiled softly. "I'm your conscience. I'm your heart. You can't love without me. And you need that."

"You're wrong," the Queen spat. "I've had enough of this conversation. Run along home, stable girl. I have more work to do."

Before Regina could protest, she found herself standing outside the vault. Staring at the door, she sighed. Killing them both wasn't an option, and talking with her hadn't worked. Regina was well and truly lost. Running her hand through her hair, she turned on her heel and began to walk.

She didn't really have a destination in mind when she started her walk, but somehow she ended up standing on Emma's doorstep, having seen lights on inside. _What am I doing?_ she questioned herself before, as though on autopilot, her fist rapped against the hard wood of the door.

It only took a few moments for Emma to open the door, and Regina's heart stuttered when she saw the blonde wearing only a thin white tank top and a pair of small black shorts. Tearing her gaze away from Emma's body, she lifted it to Emma's face, which was shuttered, revealing nothing of what she was feeling. "Regina?" she asked worriedly.

"Do you _always_ answer your door half-dressed?"

Regina winced as soon as the words left her mouth, but Emma just softened and replied, "It's nothing you haven't seen before, Regina."

"No, but is it the appropriate attire to wear when the entire street can see you?"

 _Victory._ Emma's blank expression morphed into a guilty one and she nervously grabbed a long coat from the coat rack by the door, putting it on and tying it closed, much to Regina's relief. It had truly been a feat to keep her gaze on the blonde's face. "I'm sorry," she began. "I just…can we talk, for a moment? Can I come in?"

As if on cue, Hook's voice drifted out of the house. "Who was it, love?" He came into view a second later, and Regina saw that he was shirtless. _Oh, gods._

"Oh, Regina," he said as he approached the door, wrapping an arm around Emma. "Can we help you?" He looked so smug, and immediately Regina understood why the two of them had been alone, in Emma's house, outside of the protection of her own home. And the knowledge was a larger punch to the gut than she'd ever though possible. "I-I…um…"

Emma pushed Hook back into the house. "I'll be back up in a minute, okay?" she said to him. "Give us a second."

"Take as much time as you need, Swan. I'll be waiting for you to come back to me." With an unsettled glance at Regina, he turned and walked away.

A few moments passed of Emma looking back to make sure Hook was going upstairs, and then she turned back. "I don't think now is a good time for us to talk, Regina."

"Of course," Regina said quickly. "I imagine you have much to…discuss…with Hook. I was wrong to come here."

This was it. Emma had run from her and straight into the arms of her true love. Regina had been the push Emma needed to finally consummate her relationship with him. Emma had really meant it when she told her never to touch her again. Emma hated her for what she and her counterpart had done.

Turning away in shame, she lifted her hands and was gone before hearing Emma cry out, "Regina, wait!"

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Materializing again in her own bedroom (she'd needed to bypass the Charmings, whom she could hear talking downstairs with Henry, probably filling him in on what happened since he had stayed behind during the battle. She was in no mood for any more talking), she turned and entered her bathroom to start a shower. She disrobed and stepped into the steaming spray, letting the water run down over her head and face. She could feel the tension of the day slowly start to ease. She'd made so many mistakes, and her body was tight with the stress.

When she felt warm, wet hands on her shoulders, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Her yelp of surprise was muffled by a strong hand covering her mouth. She felt a body press into her back…a naked body. A _female_ naked body. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Emma's smirking face as the water soaked her hair. Casting her gaze down, Regina took in Emma's pert breasts, flat stomach and the thatch of perfectly groomed hair between her toned legs. "Wha-"

"Shhh," Emma said. "This will just be our little secret, okay?" She reached for Regina's shampoo bottle, poured some into her hands, and reached forward to wash Regina's hair. As Emma's fingernails scraped softly against her scalp, Regina couldn't stop the rush of desire to her core or the breathy, desperate moan that escaped through her lips. Her eyes slipped closed and she stood there, feeling Emma's touch, in disbelief that the object of her adoration was standing right there in the shower with her. "What about Hook?" she whispered, wanting to curse her conscience. Emma laughed darkly. "What about him?" she asked. "He has no idea I'm in here with you. Let's keep it that way."

Emma rinsed her hair and then ran her wet hands down Regina's back, leaving trails of goosebumps in her wake. "You're so responsive," Emma whispered. "I knew you would be."

The steam was filling up the shower stall, and the heat was making Regina dizzy. Or maybe that was Emma. She shook her head, desperate to clear her mind. Something didn't feel right. "I thought you were angry with me. You should be angry with me."

"How could I be?" Emma asked, reaching around to cup Regina's breasts in her hands, flicking the nipples with her thumbs and eliciting a pained gasp from their owner. "I can't get you out of my mind."

One hand drifted lower, flattening over the expanse of Regina's stomach. "I need you, Regina," Emma whispered in her ear.

Regina's blood ran cold as she realized why everything felt wrong. Emma had an energy about her, a magical one, that Regina knew well and could recognize anywhere, and she didn't sense it. All she sensed was her own magic.

"You're not Emma," she said, pulling away and turning around to face her evil counterpart. "This game again, really?"

Not-Emma grinned widely. "Oh, but it's such a fun game. Don't you like it?" She did a little twirl, and Regina couldn't help but look down at the body in front of her, feeling desire continue to coil in her belly. "How did you get past my wards?" she ground out, fighting with all her might to focus on the dire situation.

"I've been able to break them since the moment you threw them up, Regina. I am YOU. I can break any magic you throw my way."

Regina froze, horrified. "Then you're not after Snow," she realized. The Queen laughed again, shaking her head as she dropped the glamour and revealed her true face and body. "I'm not after Snow," she admitted. "She's not exactly the top of my list anymore."

Regina understood at once. "You're after your happy ending. The hole in your heart…"

"I came here to tell you that you were right. Separate, we can do nothing but continue to harm one another." The Queen interrupted, grabbing Regina's sponge and pouring some soap into it, lathering it slowly between her palms. "What happened to Jekyll and Hyde…I don't want it to happen to us," she continued as she stepped forward and reached out. When Regina recoiled, the Queen rolled her eyes and stepped forward, pressing Regina to the wall. Slowly, she ran the sponge from Regina's neck, down her chest and over her breasts to her hips. "When I kicked you out of the vault, I was angry. After having a moment to think about it, I realized there's only one way to get what I want, and that's to reunite with you, as much as I _loathe_ to admit it."

Regina couldn't believe her ears. There was no way she'd gotten through to the Queen this easily. "This is a trap," she breathed as the Queen continued to wash her body. "Mm, maybe, maybe not," her counterpart sighed as she ran the sponge between Regina's legs, causing her to start and move away from the contact. Chuckling, the Queen went on, "You'll just have to trust me, I suppose. So, we need to figure out how to rejoin. Until then though…I have a proposal."

Regina narrowed her eyes as the Queen waved her hands and stood once again before her in the form of Emma Swan. The Queen smirked and knelt down on one knee to gently wash Regina's legs and feet. "My proposal is this: thanks to you, Emma Swan is more than likely lost to us. Right now, you have a chance to be with her…just once. We can pretend. How does that sound?"

Regina's head had begun to swim again at the vision of Emma kneeling before her, so close to her most intimate parts. _It's not real,_ she told herself. _This is wrong._

But as she thought back to the events of the day, from hearing Emma scream at her to never touch her again, to seeing Emma half naked with Hook in her house…she knew. She knew this was the only way to get what she wanted. And the Queen wanted to reunite…so what was the harm in a little role-play with herself?

When she saw and felt the Queen's-Emma's-mouth connect with her aching core, she was lost.

Somehow they made it from the shower to the bedroom, where Not-Emma pushed her down onto the bed and buried her face in Regina's sex once more. Regina cried out loudly, bucking her hips up into the warm, wet mouth. The Queen set to work, flicking her tongue over the swollen clit mercilessly, before pulling back. Regina heard a deafening keening noise escape her throat when the Queen pulled away, but she heard the sound of Emma's laughter and flipped her over to stare down at her. "This doesn't feel right," Regina whispered into the face that was identical to Emma's and yet so much different. The Queen's glamoured lips twisted into a smile that didn't at all suit Emma's face, and whispered back, "I'm giving you a gift, Regina. You'd be wise to take it."

Regina watched as the Queen ran a hand over her own nipple, and her mouth watered when she saw it pucker under the attention. But she was coming to her senses, slowly. Everything about the situation was wrong. And no matter how hard her sex was throbbing, no matter how sexy the being in front of her was, she couldn't continue on. It felt an awful lot like betraying Emma. And she loved Emma, as a woman, as the mother of their son, and taking advantage of her visage wasn't right.

"We have to stop," Regina said, pulling away. "I can't."

The Queen's eyes flashed. "No," she snarled. "Don't let that conscience kick in _now,_ we've already come too far. You want Emma and I want to get off, before I'm stuck back with you for the rest of my life. Enjoy this body, Regina. Taste it. Feel it."

She grabbed Regina's hand and placed it between her legs, and Regina almost cried from the force of desire that slammed into her at the feeling of the soaked folds. She allowed herself a weak moment to touch, then pulled her hand back and wiped her fingers on the sheets. "No," she said firmly. "I can't."

The Queen growled and surged forward, grabbing Regina's face and pulling it to her own, mashing their lips together….

And the bedroom door burst open.


	17. Chapter 17

**_A/N: Only two chapters left! Thanks to everyone who's following this story, for giving it a chance._**

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Emma watched Regina poof away and stared at the empty porch for a moment longer than was necessary. She'd tried to call out to her, to tell her that she wasn't angry at her. She wanted to tell her that she was working some things out…

Shutting the door, she leaned her back against it. She was dreading the trip upstairs, because when she got there, she was going to tell Hook it was over.

She'd had the whole day to think everything over. The trip to Archie had been necessary, as she was a complete mess after leaving the manor.

" _She loves me!" Emma cried as soon as she'd shut the door behind her. Archie looked up with wide eyes, having been absorbed in a patient's file before she'd burst in uninvited. "What?" he asked._

" _Regina. She loves me." Emma sat down on the couch and stared blankly at the wall. "She…I…I don't know how it happened, but she loves me and…I think…" she trailed off and took a deep breath._

" _I think I love her too, Archie."_

 _Archie smiled warmly and it looked as though he was completely unsurprised by the admission. "Then tell her, Emma," he said softly. Emma's eyes went wide and she shook her head violently. "No, you don't get it, Archie!" She cried. "She can't love me. Every time something good happens to her, I ruin it. And now she may die! And I'm with Hook. I owe him so much, I'm his happy ending, he's told me so!"_

 _Archie sighed. "You owe him nothing, Emma. And just because he says you're his happy ending doesn't make it set in stone. You said he sees that Regina loves you. And he sees that you feel for her too. He already knows, Emma. And maybe nothing has gone Regina's way as of late because_ you _are her way, have you thought about that? She may not have to die, Emma. And you may yet have time to tell her how you feel. You just have to be brave enough to take a leap of faith."_

Even though Emma had still been swimming in self doubt, she'd left Archie's feeling lighter and braver and, after a call from Snow confirming that Jekyll's serum was ready, she met Hook at his ship, asking him to come to the manor and join their next fight. What she really wanted to do, though, was tell him her new revelation.

And the second they stepped into the manor, Emma was surprised to see the entire living room full of her family and allies, and for a moment she felt pride swell inside her. They all loved Regina, enough to come together despite differences to protect her and each other. She was bombarded with questions the second they noticed her, and she quickly relayed the story of the day, and everyone seemed even more relieved that the serum was finished and Regina wouldn't have to die.

Henry begged to go upstairs to get Regina, but Emma told him she would come down when she was ready and they would all share the happy news.

After her brief exchange with Henry, Killian pulled her to the side. "You seem different, love," he noted quietly. Emma smiled up at him, though a guilty feeling was welling up inside her. "I feel different," she admitted. "We really need to talk," she whispered, leaning in closer. "Later, okay?" Hook's look of concern grew, and he kept staring at her even when Regina finally emerged from her room.

The battle had been long and taxing, and when they realized they'd failed, Emma had tried to reach out to Regina.

" _Be careful, Emma,_ " she had said, reminding Emma of their earlier encounter. Emma had stepped back, sensing the anger and loathing emanating from the beautiful woman in front of her. She wanted nothing more than to comfort her, but she couldn't pinpoint who the anger was directed at, so she'd stepped back and joined Snow in forming a cleanup/burial crew for the fallen. After that was taken care of, she'd grabbed Killian's hand and together they'd gone back to Emma's house.

And the second she'd closed the front door behind her and Killian and removed her coat, he'd turned and captured her lips in a kiss. She allowed it for a moment, though it now felt completely wrong, and pulled back. "We need to talk, Killian," she reminded him. He smiled and grabbed her hand. "Let's talk in the bedroom." he said slyly. Emma rolled her eyes but allowed him to pull her up to the bedroom, where he immediately began to remove his shirt. Emma felt a moment of weakness, a moment where she wanted to get swept away by him and forget her troubles, forget the decision she'd made, and he'd unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them halfway down before she snapped out of it. Grabbing his hands, she pushed them gently away. "Killian," she said firmly. "I-"

And then the doorbell had rung, and rather than pull her jeans back up, she'd just removed them and hurried downstairs in a panic, thinking something else had happened.

She realized now, after Regina had poofed away from her doorstep, that what she'd picked up on after the battle had been self-hatred. Regina really felt bad for letting her jealousy get the better of her, and Emma wanted so badly to talk to her, to go after her…but there was one thing she still needed to do.

Walking slowly back up the stairs, she finally found Killian buttoning his shirt back up. "So I'm not here so you can finally tell me you choose me, am I?" he asked in a low voice.

Emma hung her head. "I-"

"Really," he interrupted, "I should have known. I apologize for my advances, Swan. I saw the look on Regina's face when she saw me just then. That was the look of someone whose heart has been broken all over again."

Emma felt tears well up in her eyes and she pulled her jeans back on. "Killian, I'm so sorry. I thought I wanted this. Wanted you."

Killian met her eyes, and she was beyond relieved to see that his face held no malice. "I've seen it for years now, Swan. I kept hoping that maybe I could win your affections. I thought for certain I had. But I'm coming to the conclusion that I've never been your happy ending. Regina is. I was just a page in your story. And I think…I think I'm all right with that."

Emma couldn't help but feel shocked by that admission. "Really?" she asked him. Killian just laughed at her dumbfounded expression and ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah…um, actually, it's become rather tiring chasing after a woman that will never truly love me."

He shrugged his coat back on and gave Emma a small smile. "Besides…when I was in the Underworld, I heard tale of a magical object that could bring people back from the River of Lost Souls. The knowledge has been eating at me for awhile. Milah is in there, Emma, and even if I can't bring her back from the dead, I can at least sail to where this object is rumored to be hidden, return to the Underworld somehow, and maybe bring her unfinished business to a close so she can finally be at peace."

Emma felt tears spill out of her eyes and she gave a watery smile to him. "That sounds very noble, Killian. But if this has been on your mind the whole time, why have you kept trying to be with me?"

Killian's eyes were sad again. "Because I thought that maybe, when all of this nonsense was over, we could sail together. Have an adventure, help her find peace, maybe sail off into the sunset. Because I _do_ love you, Swan."

He stepped forward and enveloped her in his arms. "But all I've ever wanted was your happiness. And if it's not with me, I wish you the best in finding it with Regina. Plus…" Killian had the decency to look guilty as he stepped away from her. "I've done things to her…I owe her to gracefully bow out of the contest for you heart. It's not like I was winning, anyway."

"One day I'll find out what went down between you two," Emma declared, giving him a suspicious look. Killian scratched his neck and looked away. "Then it's a good thing I'll be gone before that happens."

"You're leaving right now?" Emma exclaimed. Hook nodded. "You and Regina together can do anything you set your mind to. I'm useless against the fight with the Queen anyway. You'll defeat her, I know you will. But now I have a mission of my own, and I don't want to put it off any longer if I'm not waiting for you."

Emma nodded in understanding. "I hope you find what you're looking for, Killian," she said softly. "And thank you. For everything."

"No, thank you. You taught me that there's more to life than revenge and selfishness. Maybe we'll see each other again."

Together they walked downstairs to the door, and right before Killian left, Emma hugged him and whispered, "Bon voyage, Captain Hook."

"Good luck, Swan. You're going to need it. Regina is a handful."

Emma grinned through her still-flowing tears. "I know she is."

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Emma felt as though an entire planet had been lifted from her shoulders as she drove to Regina's manor.

 _I'm in love with Regina, and she's in love with me._

And now there was no reason not to tell her. Emma had never been more certain of her feelings than she was in that moment.

She parked in Regina's driveway and practically ran up the steps to the door. Using her copy of the key that Regina had made for her a few months ago, she let herself in.

It was late. She could hear the faint sound of a videogame and she walked into the living room to see Henry passed out on the couch, his game controller still in his hands. Smiling warmly at her sleeping son, she took the controller out of his hands and threw a blanket over him before kissing his forehead and making her way upstairs.

When she got to the middle of the stairs, she heard a sharp cry come from Regina's bedroom. It was loud, and it was alarming.

Fearing the worst, Emma practically charged up the stairs (only tripping once) and threw open the door to Regina's bedroom. What she found on the other side of the door shocked her still. Rooted to the spot, she gaped at the scene in front of her.

"Regina?!"

Regina pulled away from…from… _the exact replica of Emma lying nude on her bed!_ …and met Emma's eyes with a panicked look. "Emma," she gasped, throwing up her hands and clothing herself via magic before Emma got more than a glance at her nude form.

Finding her feet, Emma quickly entered the bedroom and closed the door behind her, locking it. When she turned back to the women on the bed, she hissed, "What the _hell_ is going on here?!"

Regina's eyes were filled with tears and she was wringing her hands. "Emma, I'm so sorry…it's not what you think, at least not completely…"

The Queen dropped her glamour then, a wide smile on her face. "What an interesting turn of events," she purred. She was still naked, and Emma couldn't help but stare at the bare body in front of her, even while panic was rising up into her throat.

"So," Emma began, anger flaring up, "you blame me for falling into her trap, and then you go and do it? And how the hell is she here? Don't you have protection spells up? My _parents_ are here, Regina! She wants them dead!" She was feeling hysterical now, her voice rising in decibels until Regina waved her hands and Emma recognized a soundproofing spell enveloping the room. "Emma," Regina began, standing up off the bed, "she isn't here to hurt them. She wants to help us find a way to reunite the two of us. She's tired of the fighting, too."

Emma shot a glare at the Queen. "I don't believe that for one moment. She seemed horrified when I told her we were going to find a way to rejoin you."

"Oh, I was," the Queen admitted. "and I was up until Regina visited me in the vault earlier this evening. She's right, though. Without each other, we're incomplete. I just want to be happy."

"We don't want what happened to Jekyll and Hyde to happen to us, Emma. Neither of us want to die," Regina explained further. "Yes, she's the part of me that thinks and acts impulsively and without conscience, but there's good in her…just like there's still evil in me. I'm so sorry for what I did to you earlier, Emma."

Emma held up her hand. "Don't," she said. "I know you are. And I know there's good in her…I've spoken with her too, remember? But how the hell are you so calm? She could be plotting something else, she could be here to kill my parents, to steal Henry…"

"Why would I do that when I can just reunite with myself and stop being isolated and hated?" the Queen piped up. "And I really don't like being discussed as though I'm not in the room, Emma. It's hurtful."

Emma had nothing to say to that, so she turned the subject back to what she'd found when she'd walked in. "Why did she look like me, Regina? What the hell was going on in here? Were you having sex with yourself…looking like me?"

Regina turned beet red and said, "I screwed up, Emma. I pushed you away. I saw you with Hook, and I knew…I knew I'd never get to tell you…"

"Tell me what?"

"That she loves you, you idiot," the Queen piped up when Regina couldn't get the words out. "She loves you, _we_ love you."

"And I knew," Regina went on, the hard part having been covered by the Queen, "I knew that I would never be able to be with you. So…she…she offered a temporary distraction from my pain."

"And she still didn't take it, Emma," the Queen scoffed. "Your body, right here, naked, and she still turned me away in the end."

Emma's eyes met Regina's as she processed this, a slow realization dawning as she looked between the two women. "Why?" she asked.

"Because I wanted the real thing or nothing at all, Emma," Regina breathed. "having your body, but not having you…I want you. All of you. It's not just lust, Emma. It's much more than that and I couldn't do… _that_ to you."

Before she knew what she was doing, Emma stepped over to Regina and pulled her into her arms. "It's okay," she whispered as she felt Regina break down against her. "It's okay."

Regina continued to sob against Emma and the blonde held her closer, stroking her hair. "We're going to find a way to fix this," she promised, glancing over at the Queen, who had covered herself up on the bed and was watching the exchange with a strange look on her face. Regina pulled back and wiped her eyes. "I don't deserve this, Emma. You should be disgusted."

"I'm not going to lie, Regina," Emma said, "that was really…weird. But I understand. I came here to tell you…I left Hook. He's sailing away probably as we speak."

Both Reginas looked dumbfounded at the revelation. "What?" they gasped in unison. Emma laughed and looked up at the ceiling. Looking at both Reginas now, she realized what had to happen. There was one way that she knew of to try and fix everything, and she couldn't believe it took her so long to think of it. "This is probably the weirdest situation I've ever been in," she admitted. "I'm still terrified that this is a trap, but here goes." She reached for Regina's hand and led her over to the bed. For once, there was no panic. Her hands weren't shaking, and a very welcome sense of calm came over her as she stared into the matching chocolate eyes. "There's something I want to try, if you'll let me," she whispered.


	18. Chapter 18

**_A/N: THERE IS A THREESOME IN THIS CHAPTER, for just a little bit. It's not usually my thing, and I understand if it's not yours, but I ask you to at least give it a chance. This was weird and fun to write, and I probably won't do it again, lol!_**

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Regina had been thrown into an alternate universe. That was the only thing that made sense in her muddled mind as Emma prompted her to sit on the bed with her and the Queen. She was in an alternate universe and she wasn't sure if she ever wanted to come back to reality.

Because Emma was peeling away her button-up shirt with shaking hands. Emma was undressing her, and she was rooted to the spot. After the shirt came off, Emma reached behind her to unzip her skirt and pull it down her legs, revealing a garter belt and stockings…but no underwear. When Regina reached down to unclip the stockings, Emma stopped her. "Please leave those on," she said through a shy smile. Dumbly, Regina could only nod and move her hands to Emma's waist. "What are you doing, Emma?" she whispered.

Without replying, Emma turned to the Queen and placed a hand on her thigh over the blanket. "You're both so beautiful, did you know that?" she asked. Neither one could answer her, both struck dumb by the pure adoration emanating from Emma's soft voice.

Emma stood up and Regina couldn't look away as she divested herself of her clothes, and before long, Emma Swan-the _real_ Emma Swan-was standing naked in her bedroom. "I'm taking a leap of faith," she said, finally answering Regina's question. She crawled back onto the bed and pulled Regina to her, their bodies meeting in a close embrace. "You, her…I can't distinguish the two of you in my mind anymore, at least not in essence." Emma admitted. "You're both Regina. You're both the woman I've fallen in love with. The past, present and future. The good _and_ the evil. Every aspect of you, I love. And I cannot _believe_ it took me so long to realize it, and that you love me back."

Regina's eyes welled with tears. She couldn't believe her ears. She felt faint, and the last thing she wanted was to faint when this was happening to her.

Emma let go of her and fell back onto the bed next to the Queen. Rolling over, she pulled the darker half of Regina to her in a soft embrace. "I want to heal your pain," she murmured. "I want you to be happy. Happy and whole. Killing my parents and terrorizing people won't bring that, but maybe being with me will." She reached out and pulled Regina down with them until she was sandwiched tightly between them. "I want to bring back the happiness I cost you. I don't think I could ever be good enough to deserve your love…but I want to try."

Reaching for the Queen's right hand and Regina's left, she brought the identical palms to her breasts. "I want to fix everything."

When their hands met her skin, all conversation ended. The Queen surged forward and captured Emma's mouth in a raw, passionate kiss, and not even a second later Regina latched onto Emma's throat, suckling and biting the skin there.

Emma wrapped a hand around the back of the Queen's head, pulling her closer into the kiss, and used her other hand to reach around Regina and cup her shoulder. After a moment, she broke the kiss with the Queen and turned her head to Regina. Regina pulled away from her throat and their eyes met, for a brief moment, before their lips connected for the first time.

It was like stars were bursting behind Regina's eyelids, and the warmth from them was spreading to pool almost painfully in her core. The feel of Emma's soft, thin lips against hers threatened to overwhelm her, but she let Emma's tongue coax her mouth open. When their tongues met, Regina couldn't stop herself from tightening her grip on Emma's breast, feeling more than hearing Emma's moan of response. Everything about the kiss felt completely right. Their mouths belonged together, and their tongues dueled in an age-old dance with ease, like they'd done it a million times before. Within moments, she was a gasping mess, the pulsing between her legs growing to an unbearable crescendo. _This is really, really happening!_

She whined softly when Emma broke the kiss, but smiled when Emma rubbed her nose against hers in a soft gesture and a grin. Slowly she rolled over on top of Regina, pressing her hips down, her sex meeting Regina's soft mound. Moaning low in her throat, Emma lightly ground down to increase the stimulation. Regina gasped and canted her hips, causing Emma's pink lips to brush against her own swollen folds. "Fuck," Regina whispered when Emma pressed down harder, all the while leaning over to pull the Queen's lips to her own once more. Emma's right hand reached down between their bodies and her fingertips met Regina's clit, eliciting a sharp breath from Regina, who couldn't stop her hips from jerking at the contact.

With her other hand, Emma reached over and began to toy with the Queen's slit as well. The Queen immediately screamed, bucking her hips wildly. Emma grinned and pressed harder. With purpose now, she began to rub each identical clit, watching with adoration as the faces below her contorted with pleasure.

Regina made eye contact with her other half, then slid her hand over to grasp the Queen's breast. It was strange to look at herself in a moment of pleasure, but she was so into the moment she couldn't help but want to see more. She tweaked the nipple in the way she knew she liked, and within moments the Queen was thrashing wildly, having reached almost instant orgasm.

That didn't surprise Regina, because she'd always been a woman who could have instant, and sometimes multiple, orgasms. She watched her own face in ecstasy and didn't even realize that Emma had shifted positions until she was wracked with pulsing pleasure.

Emma had moved to where she had a leg between Regina's thighs and was pressing her wet sex into Regina's. After a moment of adjusting, their clits met and Emma began to ride her hard, bringing a string of noises from Regina's throat.

The sensation of Emma's soft, wet lips and clit hitting her own just right sent Regina into a frenzy. She pulled Emma tighter against her and bucked up, meeting her thrust for thrust.

The Queen had taken that time to reposition herself as well, and was now reaching between Regina and Emma to insert two fingers into Emma as she continued to move against her.

What surprised Regina was feeling the Queen's other hand as she slipped two fingers inside of her as well. Regina glanced behind Emma and saw that the Queen was lying on her stomach, her face full of concentration, her hips moving on the bed of their own volition.

Before long, Regina felt the waves of her orgasm take her. A scream was ripped from her throat and her body froze, but the Queen only moved her fingers faster, and Emma didn't stop her own movements, and the combination threw Regina into another orgasm before the last had even ebbed away.

When the pleasure finally faded, Regina pushed Emma off of her and rolled her, and together she and the Queen moved to hover over her. Regina attacked Emma's mouth, unable to get enough of her, and then something magical happened.

The Queen pushed her face between theirs and for a moment, just a moment, all three of their mouths met. A pulse of magic and light emanated from their lips, and Regina felt an immense pain overtake her body. Doubling into herself, she began to scream, and barely registered the Queen doing the same, Emma holding them both tightly.

When the pain ebbed and Regina was able to open her eyes, the Queen was gone, and she felt…different. Emma was staring up at her with wide, tearful eyes, and Regina ground out, "What the _hell_ just happened?"

Emma let out a cry of joy and surged up to meet Regina's lips. "True love's kiss," she moaned into Regina's mouth. "I knew it would work."

It hit Regina then. With Regina and the Queen being two halves of the same person, it took the both of them kissing Emma to trigger true love's kiss.

It was over. The Queen and Regina had been reunited, and Emma was grinning below her, and they had proof that they belonged together forever. Regina couldn't believe it.

Full of elation, she took Emma's mouth with her own again, then worked her way down Emma's body until she was staring in fascination at Emma's gorgeous sex. "May I?" she asked softly. Emma nodded violently and shifted her hips, her breath coming fast. "I can't wait another second, Regina. Please," she begged.

Without hesitation, having been granted permission, Regina lowered her mouth and moaned when she tasted Emma's very essence against her tongue. She knew in that moment that the taste was one she could never, ever get enough of, and with that thought she set to work on bringing Emma all the pleasure she could. Licking languidly, she inserted two fingers into Emma's tight sex and moaned at how much wetness she found there. Emma's walls clenched around her fingers as she cried out in pleasure, and when Regina crooked her fingers and began to pump steadily into her, Emma couldn't be silent or hold still.

The whole moment was the most erotic moment of Regina's life. All of her focus was on Emma, and all of Emma's on her. She listened to Emma's beautiful cries of ecstasy as she worked her fingers inside of her, all the while keeping up the infuriatingly slow licks to her sodden folds. "Regina…" Emma begged through gritted teeth. "Please…I can't…I need more. Please."

Regina grinned, pulling her mouth away and glancing up at Emma's flushed face. "I don't want to let you come, Emma," she whispered in admission. "I don't want this to end." To punctuate her sentence, she withdrew her fingers and thrust them back in, harder than she had been before, causing Emma to react with a scream and a wild thrash of her hips. "Please!" she cried. "I'm not going anywhere Regina, I'm right here…please let me come!"

A surge of happiness filled Regina and she lowered her head, latching on to Emma's swollen, needy clit. With a quick few flicks of her tongue, a very light bite and one more forceful thrust, Emma was falling apart. Regina felt her eyes fill with tears as she watched her true love orgasm. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Emma's face was contorted in pleasure, and the nearly constant moaning gasps falling from her lips had Regina's core throbbing with want all over again.

"Oh, God," Emma cried as the last waves of pleasure dissipated. "That was…fuck, Regina!" Before Regina knew what was happening, Emma had grabbed her and rolled her over, and in a split second her face was between Regina's thighs, and Regina was staring at her ass and dripping wet pussy as it settled over her chest. "I need to taste you. I need…come for me again, Regina."

Regina felt Emma's tongue and fingers begin to play with her, but all she could focus on was the scent of Emma's arousal and the erotic sight in front of her face. Her mouth watered as she reached up with one hand to lightly stroke the slick flesh with her fingers. Emma moaned and Regina felt the vibrations through her body, building her quickly back up to an insane level of desire. Wrapping her arms around Emma's thighs, she pulled her to her face, burying into the apex of her thighs and licking, biting, sucking any flesh she could reach with her mouth. She felt Emma's fingers thrust deeper, felt her tongue speed up, and together they climbed the wave.

As they both fell over into orgasm, Regina realized she could feel Emma's magic flowing into hers. The whole room was magically charged, and Regina wasn't sure but she could make an educated guess that the magic was the reason this orgasm _wasn't ending_.

On and on it went, Emma riding Regina's face as her pleasure ripped screams from her, screams that vibrated through Regina's throbbing core, the primal, explosive pleasure threatening to pull her apart. All they could do was hold on tight to each other until it subsided. And it didn't, for a long, _long_ time.

Minutes or hours or days later, they weren't sure, they lay next to each other, sweat-slicked and exhausted on the bed, joined only by their hands as they stared into each others' eyes. "How did you know that would work?" Regina whispered when she had regained her breath. Emma's eyes sparkled. "My kiss didn't break the Dark One's curse for myself or Hook," she explained breathlessly. "And I know you never had true love's kiss with anyone. My magic triggers yours. Together, we've defeated anything that's been thrown our way. And like everyone says, True love is the most powerful magic of all."

Regina scooted closer and pressed her lips to Emma's in a soft, sweet caress. "You've been my destiny this whole time, and I had no idea. I got to _choose_."

Suddenly, a thought popped into her mind. "Oh…Emma, what will Henry think? Your parents?"

Emma laughed and pressed her face into Regina's neck, holding her close. "They'll be elated," she said assuredly. "All they've ever wanted was for us to be happy. We'll tell them tomorrow, okay?"

"Emma?"

"What?"

"We had sex with your parents only a few doors down."

Emma laughed and replied, "Yeah, I didn't even think about it. Thank God for your soundproofing, huh?"

"Indeed," Regina breathed, relishing the feel of her true love against her.

After a moment of blissful silence, Emma whispered, "Regina…the Queen…was this supposed to be another trap or was she really genuine?"

Regina filtered through the memories she hadn't had a chance to process yet, then smiled grimly. "She came here with a plan, yes," she admitted softly. "It was indeed another trap. But…you stopped her."

"Me?"

"What you did, the understanding and love that you showed us both…it shocked her. So much she completely forgot to enact her plan before, well, before we were magically merged back together."

Regina could feel Emma smile against her neck. "So, essentially I just saved the world."

"By loving me. By loving all of me, yes. You did. I love you, Emma Swan."

"I love you, Regina Mills," Emma said happily as she snuggled closer, and together they drifted into a peaceful, fulfilled sleep.

SQSQSSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ 

"We visualize the future with the eyes of the blind

We hear nature calling but still we deny

We are not separate from what we destroy

Time has come for us to make the only choice"

\- "We Are Not Separate" by Kamelot


	19. Chapter 19

**_A/N: This is the epilogue. Thank you again for taking the time to read this fic. It's been a wild, doubtful, worrisome ride, and I do plan on writing another fic. Hopefully I will get better at this with time. THANK YOU THANK YOU for all of you wonderful comments and support. Swen are the greatest, and I'm so proud to be in this fandom._**

 ** _SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ_**

Emma was immensely proud of her son, and with a glance at Regina, she saw the pride in her eyes as well. Henry had discovered a giant hidden in the deepest part of the forest, having never come forward after the dirigible's crash. The giant, shocked to know that she wasn't alone, that there was one other left living, revealed an entire jar of beans from a magic beanstalk, willing to share to get everyone from the Land of Untold stories back to their respective lands.

Now, they were standing in front of multiple portals in a clearing, watching as Henry and the giant handed out beans and talked to each and every person, helping them decide to go back to their lands and let their stories play out.

It was well and truly over.

Regina and Emma had woken earlier that day wrapped in each others arms, and after a few languid kisses, they got up, showered, and started their day.

When they'd gone downstairs, they'd made breakfast together, laughing and joking and feeling more joy than either could ever remember feeling. When Snow, David and Henry joined them in the kitchen, it was to the sight of Emma's face and arms covered in flour and Regina wiping one flour-covered hand over Emma's chest, laughing at Emma's yell of "We _just_ showered!", before pulling her in for a kiss and magicking away the mess.

While not the ideal way to break the news to her family, the reaction was better than Emma could have hoped for. Snow immediately burst into tears and rushed forward to hug them both, David clapped Emma on the back with a whispered, "I'm happy for you," and Henry shouted, "I _knew_ I felt something happen last night!"

When his mothers and grandparents turned to face him, Henry exclaimed, "True love's kiss! You two shared it last night, didn't you?" At Regina's blush and nod, Henry surged forward and hugged both of his mothers at once. "I knew it," he whispered. "I knew it." His mothers laughed and embraced him, and Snow and David looked on, with huge smiles on their faces.

"So…the Queen is gone?" Snow had asked tentatively.

Regina shook her head. "No," she began, then she laughed at their horrified faces. "She's right here, inside, where she belongs," she finished, bringing a hand to her heart. "She was right all along. We are not separate, and we never have been. She is part of what makes me…me."

Emma had wrapped her arms around Regina then, planting a kiss to her forehead. "And I wouldn't have you any other way," she declared.

In the next few seconds, Regina was pulled into the first group hug of her life as David, Henry and Snow all enveloped the two women in their embrace.

Emma glanced over at Regina now, standing in front of the portals, and reached over to grab her hand with her own.

"Do you think we'll get some down time, now?" Emma asked cheekily. "I really, really want to just curl up and watch Netflix with you for the next few days."

As if brought on by her words, a roar was heard from above. They both looked up and saw Maleficent and Lily in their dragon forms circling above them. Both went into a dive and landed in the clearing, turning back into their human forms before approaching the Swan-Mills family.

"Have you forgotten something, Regina? Emma?" Mal asked sharply, glancing down at their joined hands. "Word spreads fast here. Your problem has been dealt with. We helped you, now you help us."

"I want to find my father," Lily snapped, "and you promised."

Emma and Regina glanced at each other tiredly. "Netflix will have to wait, Savior," Regina stated.

"Yeah, I know," Emma sighed. "I jinxed it."


End file.
